Accuracy in the Determination of Liability

24 Pages Posted: 28 Dec 2006 Last revised: 28 Dec 2022

See all articles by Louis Kaplow

Louis Kaplow

Harvard Law School; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Steven Shavell

Harvard Law School; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: October 1992

Abstract

Many legal rules, notably rules of procedure and evidence, are concerned with achieving accuracy in the outcome of adjudication. In this article, we study accuracy in the conventional model of law enforcement. We consider why reducing error in determining liability is socially valuable and how error and its reduction affect the optimal probability and magnitude of sanctions.

Suggested Citation

Kaplow, Louis and Shavell, Steven, Accuracy in the Determination of Liability (October 1992). NBER Working Paper No. w4203, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=478686

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Steven Shavell

Harvard Law School ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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United States