Would you like to learn more about how forensic toxicology testing is performed? Would you like to have a better understanding of how blood is tested for drugs or alcohol? Toxicologists Dr. Jay Gehlhausen and Dr. David Burrows will lead attorneys and investigators on a lab tour on April 27, 2018 in Wake Forest, NC …
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OSAC releases forensic science terminology tool
In March 2018, the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) created a Lexicon of Forensic Science Terminology to help facilitate communication across many disciplines. Attorneys can access the OSAC Lexicon to find definitions of forensic science terms that are agreed upon across various disciplines. The terms and definitions come from the published literature, including …
Forensics, Statistics and Law Conference
The Virginia Journal of Criminal Law and the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence will host a one-day conference entitled Forensics, Statistics and Law on Mar. 26, 2018 at the University of Virginia School of Law. This conference focusing on forensic evidence and its use in the courtroom will mark the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme …
Rare medical condition, not shaking, caused baby’s death
Murder charges were dropped recently against a father in Randolph County charged with the death of his 11-week-old daughter. The baby’s treating physician indicated the death was caused by shaking or blunt force trauma. The defendant spent 158 days in jail prior to the charges being dismissed. The charges were dismissed when the forensic pathologist, …
Rare medical condition, not shaking, caused baby’s deathRead More
Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science
NC Indigent Defense Services and the Duke Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility are sponsoring the 4th Annual Whiskey in the Courtroom CLE on March 9, 2018 at Duke Law School. The full-day program for defense attorneys and criminal defense investigators will focus on scientific advances in several fields of forensic evidence, including fire …
Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic ScienceRead More
Free Webinar on Lab Accreditation and Analyst Certification
Stetson Law’s National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law is offering a complementary webinar for defense attorneys and prosecutors on Dec. 14, 2017 from 12-2 pm. Registration and program information is available here. The program will explain the lab accreditation process and the certification of individual forensic science practitioners in specific disciplines. Panelists will …
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Mass. Supreme Court Considers Relevance of FSTs for Marijuana Impairment
Any practitioner that handles driving while impaired charges knows the significance of field-sobriety tests (“FSTs”) to the investigation and prosecution of drunk driving. Scientific research supports the basic idea behind the tests — that test performance on FSTs is an indicator of alcohol impairment. What about when the impairing substance isn’t alcohol at all? Do …
Mass. Supreme Court Considers Relevance of FSTs for Marijuana ImpairmentRead More
NIST urges caution in use of likelihood ratio
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released an article last week calling into question the use of the likelihood ratio to present evidence in court. NIST states that there is uncertainty about the appropriate use of the likelihood ratio. An expert’s subjective opinion may affect the calculation of the likelihood ratio, potentially distorting …
Open Forum with the NC State Crime Laboratory
On Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, the NC State Crime Laboratory and NC Office of Indigent Defense Services will offer a free CLE for criminal defense attorneys and criminal defense investigators. A Forensic Science Manager from each Section of the State Crime Laboratory (including Digital Evidence, DNA Database, Drug Chemistry, Firearm and Tool Mark, Forensic Biology, …
Digital Evidence Series: Part I – Cell Phone Location Evidence for Legal Professionals
The NC Office of Indigent Defense Services will offer a series of free presentations on digital evidence that are designed to enhance the knowledge of criminal defense attorneys. Available for CLE credit, these programs will occur at lunchtime in various locations around central North Carolina. Participants receiving CLE credit will be billed $3.50 per credit …
Digital Evidence Series: Part I – Cell Phone Location Evidence for Legal ProfessionalsRead More
New Benchbook Chapter on Expert Testimony
School of Government Professor Jessie Smith has drafted a new chapter on Expert Testimony for the NC Superior Court Judge’s Benchbook. I’ve already heard one judge say from the bench that he had it open as he was considering a 702 challenge to expert testimony. Because this is a resource that judges look to, defenders …
AAAS Report on Fire Investigation
Attorneys who are handling cases involving arson allegations should be aware of the Forensic Science Assessments: A Quality and Gap Analysis – Fire Investigation publication that was released this month (July 2017). The report was produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The report looks at the discipline of fire investigations and …
A Guide to Using the UIDDA
The Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (UIDDA) is a useful way to request discoverable documents which are located in another state via subpoena duces tecum. While most states have adopted some form of UIDDA, others lag behind. As of February 2017, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, Wyoming and Puerto Rico have not …
SWGFAST Sufficiency Graph
The Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study and Technology (SWGFAST) has a sufficiency graph for fingerprint comparison that may be useful for attorneys to use when discussing fingerprint comparisons with experts. The sufficiency graph reflects the interplay between quality and quantity of minutiae. Minutiae are small details that are used in comparing one …
NACDL Releases Primers on Surveillance
With a focus on Fourth Amendment concerns, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) recently began a series of surveillance primers. The first primers in the series provide information on Automated License Plate Readers, Cell Phone Location Tracking, and Cell Site Simulators. NACDL will periodically release more primers on surveillance technologies. These documents are …