forensic

Etymology

From Latin forēnsis (“of the forum, public”), from forum (“forum, marketplace”).

adj

1. Relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law.
   In this account of events, the cards were stacked against Clemons from the beginning. His appeal lawyers have argued that he was physically beaten into making a confession, the jury was wrongfully selected and misdirected, and his conviction largely achieved on individual testimony with no supporting forensic evidence presented. 21 August 2012, Ed Pilkington, “Death penalty on trial: should Reggie Clemons live or die?”, in The Guardian
   Fire investigators […] and forensic chemists are combing through fire sites [the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing], interviewing witnesses, and following leads. 8 June 1996, Bill Clinton, Weekly Presidential radio Address
2. (dated) Relating to, or appropriate for, courts of law.
   It [the judiciary] had been the forum before which the highest forensic discussions had been held, […] 1885, Isaac N. Arnold, “Chapter VIII”, in The Life of Abraham Lincoln
3. (archaic) Relating to, or used in, debate or argument.
   Varus trusted implicitly […] to the interest which they affected to take in the forensic eloquence of their conquerors. 1851, Edward Shepherd Creasy, “Chapter V”, in The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World