Instructors:

Glenn Langenburg, Carey Hall, Brendan Max

Course Description

This 3-day fingerprint testimony course provides practical answers to challenging questions in today’s courtroom environment by delivering the material to you in a novel way. Students will gain practical information for improving their courtroom performance. They will also be better prepared for Frye and Daubert challenges. This unique course is taught by three instructors. Two of the instructors are experienced fingerprint experts. These instructors take turns answering mock court questions asked by a third instructor, an experienced criminal defense attorney, who will dynamically attack the answers. The instructors will demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of different responses-both “good” and “bad” answers. Students will be able to ask questions and get feedback on their own personal responses. The instructors will highlight what strategies a defense attorney might take depending on the answer. The instructors will share court experiences, case law, and other court decisions so that students are aware of precedent cases and emerging legal trends. Lastly, the instructors will share published papers, data, or the reactions of lay people to court room responses. This approach will give the student valuable insight into the reactions and understanding of the most important people in the courtroom: the triers of fact. Course materials will include summaries of the major class topics, examples of model answers, lists of relevant cases, and reference materials. The course also provides the rare opportunity to gain insight into the strategies and tactics of a criminal defense attorney in a safe learning environment.

Target Audience

All practicing friction ridge examiners who could be required to give expert witness testimony are greatly encouraged to participate in this thought-provoking, unique, course with the aim to provide better answers than what we all have been taught in the past. The material is aimed predominantly at latent print challenges and issues, although some issues are applicable to both tenprint and latent print examiners. Tenprint examiners should review the reading list prior to attendance and determine if they think the course content to be suitable. If your goal is to confidently respond to the challenges presented in the modern courtroom, then join your peers and gain a better understanding of more contemporary concepts from these three skilled instructors in a format that has never been used in latent print training. Each attendee will be issued a certificate for 24 hours of attendance, applicable for 12 hours of LP/TP IAI certification and re-certification hours (including testimony training). Students do not testify in the class/perform moot court (the instructors get grilled—not the student!). We do not record/allow recording of the sessions. Host Contact Information Sheryl Davenport, Director Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (510) 225-5851 Email: sdavenport@acgov.org