North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services
Attorneys handling complex cases know that expert insight can be the difference between a strong defense and a missed opportunity. Yet securing qualified forensic expertise quickly and efficiently can be a challenge. For Assistant Public Defenders and IDS Managed Assigned Counsel attorneys, the Expert Services Project helps bridge that gap by providing streamlined access to …
Great trial result from working with Expert Services ProjectRead More
Free webinar series offered by CSFRE
The Forensic Book Club has selected its next read and we hope you’ll join us in reading and discussing it! Our next book will be Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers. We’ll meet virtually to discuss on July 13 at 6 pm. Note that you may want to get the …
Live webinar presented by Dr. Beata KrembuszewskiApr. 2, 2026, 12:30pm90 min of CLE credit anticipated This session will present a clear, research-based understanding of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its relevance across the lifespan of many clients in the criminal legal system. The session explores the core diagnostic features of ADHD—impulsivity, inattention, executive-function deficits, emotional regulation …
Understanding ADHD and Its Impact in Criminal CasesRead More
From NACDL’s Fourth Amendment Center – One of the most challenging parts of litigating surveillance technology in criminal cases is identifying and getting access to appropriate discovery. Often, the types of technologies used in a case are opaque and cannot be identified, let alone challenged, until certain information is shared during discovery. Even if you …
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Network of Public Health Institute (NNPHI), and the Public Health Institute (PHI), announced a new no-cost webinar series focusing attention on drug-caused and drug-related deaths. This 10-part webinar series brings together medicolegal death investigators, forensic …
This week, the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law announced the launch of a new public resource: the Forensic Expert Evidence Database, a searchable collection of court decisions addressing when and how forensic expert testimony is admitted in criminal cases. The database brings together reported decisions from courts across all fifty states …
New Database Documents a Century of Court Decisions on Forensic Expert Evidence TestimonyRead More
Presented by Dr. Max Noureddine No cost to attend, 2 hours of CLE credit anticipated, in person only This program will take place in 3 locations in Western, Central, and Eastern North Carolina. The same information will be presented at each location, so you only need to attend one. About: This presentation will provide an …
Probabilistic Genotyping: Interpreting Complex DNA Mixtures with STRmix CLERead More
Live webinar presented by Dr. Jerrod BrownFeb. 5, 2026, 12:30pm90 min of CLE credit Neurodivergence describes a group of individuals with atypical patterns of brain functioning, including differences in cognition, sensory, and motor abilities. Conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia), and traumatic brain injuries often fall …
Webinar: Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice, Forensic Mental Health, and Legal SettingsRead More
The Forensic Book Club has selected its next read and we hope you’ll join us in reading and discussing it! Our next book will be The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story. We’ll meet virtually to discuss on Mar. 30 at 6 pm. This book came out in 2025 and generated a …
Indigent Defense Services and the Duke Law Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility are pleased to announce the twelfth annual CLE, “Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science.” Whiskey 12 will take place on March 6, 2026 at Duke Law School. Forensic science experts and attorneys who have litigated cases involving complex scientific …
Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science – REGISTRATION OPENRead More
IDS has prepared Expert Witnesses in NC Criminal Cases to provide information for any professional considering serving as an expert witness in indigent criminal defense cases, as well as best practices for NC criminal defense attorneys working with expert witnesses. The guide contains information for experts about billing in IDS cases, deciding whether to accept a case, …
IDS and the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office provide regular continuing education to dozens of NC criminal defense and parent attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists who attend the IDS Forensic Science Education Series. In 2026, we will offer monthly 90-minute webinars on various aspects of forensic evidence. These webinars will take place typically at 12:30 pm on …
On Nov. 20, 2025, the New Jersey Supreme Court barred testimony concerning shaken baby syndrome, finding that the State failed to meet its burden of showing reliability under the Frye standard. The opinion discusses the history of this diagnosis and lack of consensus around the so-called “triad” of symptoms in shaken baby cases. The opinion demonstrates …
Testimony about shaken baby syndrome excluded by NJ Supreme CourtRead More
Live webinar presented by Rohan Parekh, MS, PhDNov. 6, 2025, 12:30pm90 min of CLE credit anticipated With the recent opening of the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory, attorneys need additional information about the lab reports produced by this lab. The Union County Public Defender’s Office, the Union County Bar, and NC Indigent Defense Services …
Decoding Toxicology Lab Reports from the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Other Crime LabsRead More
