Program Chair and Presenter:

Atty. Katherine H. Judson
Center for Integrity in Forensic Science
Madison, WI

Presenters:

Atty. Bicka Barlow
Law Office of Bicka Barlow
San Francisco, CA

Hon. Ellen K. Berz
Dane County Circuit Court, Branch 11
Madison, WI

Hayley Cleary, PhD
Virginia Commonweath University
Richmond, VA

Atty. Sunny Eaton
Director of the Conviction Review Unit
Davidson County District Attorney’s Office
Nashville, TN

Hon. Rachel A. Graham
Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District IV
Madison, WI

Atty. Desiree L. Lassiter
The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland
Baltimore, MD

Dr. Kristen McCowan
Center for Integrity in Forensic Science
Madison, WI

Atty. Stacie H. Rosenzweig
Halling & Cayo, S.C.
Milwaukee, WI

Claudia Solís-Lemus, PhD
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Statistics
Madison, WI

Atty. Jennifer Stisa Granick
Surveillance and Cybersecurity Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union
San Franscisco, CA

David Thompson, CFI
Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates
Aurora, Il

                                                                             Please note: all times are CST

8:15 AM Welcome and Opening Remarks

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul

8:20 AM Statistics in Forensic Sciences

• What are probabilities and how they are computed in practice
• How to select the correct probability rule depending on the situation: product rule, addition rule or conditional probabilities rule
• The main fallacies when interpreting probabilities

Claudia Solís-Lemus, PhD

9:20 AM Chemistry and Toxicologic Pathology in Death Resulting Cases

• Receive a basic understanding of the forensic science issues involved in death resulting cases
• How to interpret the chemical analysis, toxicology results, and pathology reports generated in death resulting cases
• Review the general chemistry principles related to drugs as well as introduce the pharmacokinetic concepts involved in death resulting cases

Atty. Desiree L. Lassiter

10:20 AM Break

10:35 AM Judicial Insight Panel

• Candid insights about having a decision reversed
• What appellate judges are looking for and have seen

Moderator: Atty. Katherine H. Judson Panelists: Hon. Ellen K. Berz, Hon. Rachel A. Graham

11:35 AM Lunch Break( on your own)

12:35 PM Genetic Genealogy in the Legal System

• Structure of IGG searches (DNA testing versus GG)
• Discovery issues
• The status of empirical research and lack of data on genetic genealogy
• Factors contributing to inconsistent results

Atty. Bicka Barlow

1:35 PM Ethically Collaborating and Overturning Convictions

• Ethical responsibility to overturn a bad conviction
• Collaborating on an exoneration

Moderator: Atty. Katherine H. Judson Panelists: Atty. Sunny Eaton, Atty. Stacie H. Rosenzweig

3:00 PM Break

3:15 PM The Law and Science of Searches for Electronic Data

• How computer, cell phone, and social media searches are different from physical searches
• Which statutory and constitutional rules apply to these searches
• How the government justifies broad searches and how to challenge general searches by law enforcement
• How courts can ensure that electronic data searches are particularized and limited to probable cause

Atty. Jennifer Stisa Granick

4:15 PM Investigative Interviewing: The Impact on Youthful Interviewees

• Understand the developmental underpinnings of youths' vulnerabilities in legal contexts
• Learn the reasons for increased suggestibility and susceptibility to coercion among youthful interviewees
• Identify common contributors to false or unreliable confessions from young people Learn how developmental immaturity, combined with coercive interrogation tactics, can elicit unreliable information and produce faulty evidence
• Discuss legislative and organizational policy changes to safeguard youth

Hayley Cleary, David Thompson, CFI

5:15 PM Institute Concludes

• Hear from top-tier presenters on a variety of forensic science topics
• Receive judicial perspectives on evidence admisibility 
• Understand ethical obligations of all parties when it comes to faulty convictions
• Build your next case on solid science
• Improve the use of forensic science in the criminal justice system

• Prosecutors
• Criminal defense counsel
• Judges
• Criminal appeals practitioners
• Civil rights attorneys
• Criminal law paralegals
• Law students

Live Webcast

January 19, 2024

Webcast Replays

February 29, 2024 | April 17, 2024 | May 10, 2024 | June 17, 2024

The Forensic Justice Institute will be submitted to the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners for up to 8.5 CLE and 1.5 EPR credits. If you will be reporting attendance to another entity for credit, note that the credits listed are based on a 50-minute credit hour standard.

The Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin is pleased to offer two full scholarships to attend the Forensic Justice Institute on January 19, 2024. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be a member of the Criminal Law Section. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a scholarship from the State Bar. To apply, fill out the application and return to Christine Casey at ccasey@wisbar.org by December 15, 2023.