Live webinar presented by Barbara Bathke, JD and Ivana Brown, JD
Oct. 1, 2026, 12:30pm
Approved for 90 min of CLE credit
Forensic evidence can be the centerpiece of a DWI prosecution—but understanding what the laboratory results actually mean is critical to effectively challenging that evidence. This practical primer will introduce defense attorneys to the forensic science commonly encountered in DWI cases, including breath testing, blood testing, alcohol and drug toxicology.
This session will focus on what the results mean and questions attorneys should ask when reviewing forensic reports. Attendees will leave with practical tools for identifying weaknesses in forensic evidence, developing cross-examination questions, and determining when consultation with a forensic expert may strengthen the defense.
Registration:
This program is part of the 2026 IDS Forensic Science Education Series. The webinars will be presented monthly and are free to attend. Use this link to register for all webinars in the series and attend any that are of interest.
Presenters:
Barbara Bathke is an Assistant Public Defender at the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office. She handles DWIs and various other misdemeanors and felonies. Barbara received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and History at the American University of Paris. She then attended Tulane University Law School, where she served as the Assistant Director of Tulane’s Immigration Legal Assistance program and as a student attorney in Criminal Justice Clinic and Women’s Prison Project. In her clinical work, Barbara represented criminalized survivors of intimate partner violence in post-conviction proceedings using testimony from experts in psychology. In her role at the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office, Barbara continues to challenge expert testimony presented by the state, including breath and blood tests in DWI cases, fingerprint identification, and trademark analysis. Through the IDS Expert Services Project, she has also called experts in the fields of pharmacology and toxicology to testify to the effects of medical conditions on the performance of standardized field sobriety tests and breath tests as well as experts in psychology to testify regarding confirmation bias and issues of cross racial identification.
Ivana Hughes Brown is an Assistant Public Defender at the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office. She handles DWIs and various other misdemeanors. Prior to her current role, she served as the office’s Driving While Impaired (DWI) defense attorney at the Public Defender’s Office in Cleveland County, NC. She has the following training directly related to DWI/DUI Defense: NHTSA DWI Detection and SFSTs; Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE); and NHTSA DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Test Instructor. Ivana has been practicing law in various capacities for almost 10 years. Prior to joining the public defender’s office she worked in private practices where she handled family law, civil litigation, DWI defense, and other criminal defense cases. Ivana received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in English from Gardner-Webb University. While at Gardner-Webb, Ivana was a member of the track and field and cross-country teams. After college, Ivana attended law school at the University of Alabama where she graduated with pro bono honors. Ivana is licensed to practice in both North Carolina and Georgia. Ivana currently practices solely in North Carolina.