State v. Southard

The question in this case is whether a medical diagnosis of child sexual abuse is admissible scientific evidence. The trial court ruled that it is. After considering testimony regarding that diagnosis, as well as other evidence that defendant had abused his girlfriend’s two children, a jury convicted defendant of three counts of sodomy. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s judgment without opinion. State v. Southard, 214 Or App 292, 164 P3d 351 (2007). We allowed defendant’s petition for review and now reverse the Court of Appeals decision and the trial court’s judgment.

Defendant…