RTI International is offering their 2nd Annual Online Symposium: Current Trends in Forensics & Forensic Toxicology program May 13-17, 2019. The program is free of charge. The program will feature speakers on various topics of toxicology and seized drug analysis. The program is intended for laboratory scientists who work in these fields so that they can receive …
Forensic Science and Statistics – Special Issue of Significance Magazine
The American Statistical Association and Royal Statistical Society of the UK has published a special issue devoted for forensic evidence. The April 2019 issue, Forensic Science and Statistics, is a collaboration of the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) and the Innocence Project. The April 2019 issue contains six articles focused on …
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6th Annual NACDL-Cardozo Law National Forensic College
June 2 – 7, 2019: New York City, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law The National Forensic College is an advanced, week-long forensic science CLE designed for experienced trial and post-conviction defense litigators. It features the foremost national experts in a wide range of forensic disciplines and presents a truly one-of-a kind opportunity. The Forensic …
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Independent testing of blood for drugs or alcohol when a client is in custody
In some cases, an attorney needs a defendant’s blood to be collected for independent toxicology testing immediately after arrest and no specimen has been collected by the state. The presence of a controlled/impairing substance and its metabolites will dissipate within hours or days, so time is of the essence if an attorney wishes to have …
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Upcoming forensic evidence programs at Duke Law School
Duke Law School will host two forensic evidence programs in March 2019. Getting Forensics Right: Strengthening the Connection Between Forensics, Statistics, and Law Ten Years After “A Path Forward” https://law.duke.edu/events/scientific-evidence/ Wednesday, March 6, 2019 • 12:30 PM • Law School 3037 What are the stakes when forensics go wrong? Keith Harward will tell his story: …
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New lab procedure to facilitate communication between attorneys and lab analysts
The NC State Crime Laboratory has put into place a change to its Document Management Policy that should help criminal defense attorneys of record who wish to speak to the persons at the Crime Lab who have worked on their client’s case(s). The new procedure states: 4.6.1.1 Once a Case Record has been finalized, the …
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ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 037, Guidelines for Opinions and Testimony in Forensic Toxicology
The American Academy of Forensic Science Standards Board (ASB) has published ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 037, Guidelines for Opinions and Testimony in Forensic Toxicology, First Edition. This document delineates guidelines for best practices in forensic toxicology opinions and testimony, including human performance toxicology (e.g., driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs), postmortem forensic toxicology, …
OCME Toxicology Lab Procedures available
The IDS Forensic website has posted the toxicology lab procedures from the NC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner here. Attorneys who would like to learn more about the procedures that the OCME toxicology lab uses to test evidence can read through the procedures. For casework, attorneys should obtain the lab procedures that were in …
Are you a gun nut?
If you are a criminal defense attorney working on serious felony cases, you need to have a good understanding of firearm function so that you can make sense of the forensic evidence in your case. The tutorials described below can help you gain the information that you need. The University of Utah Health Sciences Library …
Hemp or Marijuana?
Your client is charged with possession of marijuana. They tell you they possessed hemp – not marijuana. Industrial hemp is not visually distinguishable from illicit marijuana. Is that a defense? I would say yes, if your client is a licensed industrial hemp farmer growing industrial hemp in compliance with all regulations. But, if your client …
Scientific Terminology Explained
If you’d like to learn more about scientific terminology, Duke Law student Logan Johnson interviewed toxicologist Dr. Jay Gehlhausen about terminology that attorneys might encounter when reviewing scientific evidence. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between reproducibility and repeatability? What is the difference between accuracy and precision? What are blanks and controls? Please …
Upcoming Programs on Facial Recognition Software and Surveillance Technologies
Attorneys frequently ask me questions about facial recognition software and about new surveillance technologies. NACDL is offering training programs on each of these topics. On September 18, 2018, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, NACDL will host a free webinar about the practices, risks, and limitations of emerging facial recognition technology. With an increasing number …
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Open Forum with the NC State Crime Laboratory
The NC State Crime Laboratory and NC Office of Indigent Defense Services will offer a free to attend CLE on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018, that is designed to enhance the knowledge of criminal defense attorneys and criminal defense investigators. The program will be held at the NC Judicial Center, 901 Corporate Center Drive, Raleigh, NC. Senior …
Eyewitness Evidence in the Courts CLE
Tuesday, August 21, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Duke Law School, Room 3043 Eyewitness testimony can be incredibly powerful in court. “There is almost nothing more convincing,” Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote in a 1981 dissent, “than a live human being who takes the stand, points a finger at the defendant, and says, ‘That’s the one!’” However, …
NACDL’s Fourth Amendment Center Offers Direct Assistance to Defense Lawyers
NACDL’s Fourth Amendment Center now offers direct assistance to defense lawyers handling cases involving new technologies and tactics that may infringe on privacy rights of Americans. The Center’s staff is available to help members of the defense bar in bringing new Fourth Amendment challenges, providing a range of support from training and resources to expert …
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