Happer, Lindzen, Koonin Letter to the Federal Judicial Center
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Richard Lindzen, Ph. D.
Professor of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Emeritus Professor of Physics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
William Happer, Ph. D.
Emeritus Professor of Physics, Princeton University
Steven Koonin, Ph. D.
Edward Teller Senior Fellow Hoover Institution, Stanford University
April 1, 2026
The Honorable John G. Roberts
Chair, Federal Judicial Center
Chief Justice, United States Supreme Court
One First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543
cc: Federal Judicial Center Board and Director
Re: “How Science Works” Chapter in the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: 4th Edition
Dear Chief Justice Roberts:
The Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence has long been valued by the federal and state judiciary for its neutrality, clarity, and restraint. It is used by more than 3,000 federal judges, many state judges, and has been cited in over 1,700 judicial opinions. Its purpose has always been to assist courts in evaluating scientific evidence—not to advance particular scientific, political, or policy agendas.
We write to express serious concerns about the Fourth Edition of the Manual, released a few months ago. Several chapters depart sharply from the Manual’s longstanding tradition of neutrality.
1. The Removed Climate Science Chapter Revealed Structural Problems
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/04/12/happer-lindzen-koonin-letter-to-the-federal-judicial-center/
