Live webinar presented by Jordan Duhe Willetts, JD and Melinda Thielbar, PhD
Sept. 5, 2024, 12:30pm
90 min of CLE credit anticipated
In order to raise a 702 challenge to the foundational validity of a forensic method, information about the research that purports to validate the method must be presented in court. This webinar will explain how a statistician was used in a recent NC 702 challenge to testimony on firearm comparison.
This program will cover strategy for making a 702 challenge, including identifying and preparing experts, and when to have the motion heard. Though the case example focuses on firearms evidence, presenters will address how attorneys can identify deficiencies in forensic methods and issues to look for across disciplines. The program will also cover what type of expert to use to best communicate this information to the court and considerations regarding remote testimony. Finally, the program will address presentation of these issues to the jury if expert testimony is allowed by the court.
Registration:
This program is part of the 2024 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:
Jordan Duhe Willetts, JD
Jordan Duhe Willetts concentrates much of her practice on the defense of homicide offenses. Jordan also devotes a large portion of her time to the investigation and litigation of post-conviction cases, successfully obtaining relief for clients, sometimes years after the dates of their original convictions. Jordan practiced for 10 years in eastern NC before relocating to Oregon.
Jordan is a graduate of Washington and Lee University School of Law and obtained her undergraduate degree from Guilford College. She is a Board Certified State Criminal Law Specialist in NC.
Melinda Thielbar, PhD
Dr. Melinda Thielbar is a PhD statistician and professional data scientist. She obtained her PhD from NC State University. She assists in the interpretation of how data was analyzed in scientific studies to determine if the methods used are consistent with sound statistics practice. She has expertise in best practices for handling and manipulating data. Dr. Thielbar has over 20 years of industry experience as a researcher and statistical software developer. Her career ranges from statistics education to developing algorithms for commercial software to Hollywood script consulting. She co-founded Research Triangle Analysts, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit focused on education and training for people working in analytics and data science in the Raleigh-Durham area. She works as the Chief AI Strategist at EY.