LINGUISTIC CONFUSION IN COURT 539
(if not all) forensic sciences. Forensic linguistics would do well
to offer conservative, descriptive claims and to support those
claims with empirical data. Source claims (e.g., “In my opinion,
this text was written by the defendant”) should be avoided. Such
a modest approach will not only help forensic linguistics gain a
place in the courtroom, but it will also reduce the risk that
jurors will overweigh this potentially important, but as yet
untested, evidence.