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An expert should obtain all of the facts about the case to be able to render an informed opinion.
If an expert knows certain facts about the case before scientific testing is conducted, the expert should not allow such knowledge to influence the comprehensiveness of results reported (i.e., making results fit facts known ahead of time vs. reporting a variety of potential conclusions that all fit the data).
An expert should remain objective and neutral when examining and reporting the evidence, during engagement and throughout the trial process. Despite being engaged by one party, it is imperative that the expert witness remembers that the role is not that of an advocate for either party.
Additional Online Courses
- What Every First Responding Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Collecting DNA Evidence at Property Crime Scenes
- DNA – A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook
- Crime Scene and DNA Basics
- Laboratory Safety Programs
- DNA Amplification
- Population Genetics and Statistics
- Non-STR DNA Markers: SNPs, Y-STRs, LCN and mtDNA
- Firearms Examiner Training
- Forensic DNA Education for Law Enforcement Decisionmakers
- What Every Investigator and Evidence Technician Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Principles of Forensic DNA for Officers of the Court
- Law 101: Legal Guide for the Forensic Expert
- Laboratory Orientation and Testing of Body Fluids and Tissues
- DNA Extraction and Quantitation
- STR Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Communication Skills, Report Writing, and Courtroom Testimony
- Español for Law Enforcement
- Amplified DNA Product Separation for Forensic Analysts