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The forensic expert must communicate with the attorney who requested his or her services and with the opposing counsel, judges, and administrative hearing officers. Forensic assignments are typically divided into distinct phases:
- Engagement.
- Investigation/analysis.
- Preliminary report.
- Final report.
- Discovery.
- Trial.
- File closing.
All phases (except the last) require communication with attorneys. One of the fundamental difficulties for analysts when communicating with attorneys is that attorneys sometimes use legal terminology that is unfamiliar.
As in any profession, particular terms have specific meanings that will require definition or translation. A glossary of frequently used legal terms is included with the Law 101 online training to help clarify conversations, correspondence and pleadings.
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