This is the class that the forensic identification community has been pleading for a long time, and one that should become mandatory training for any pattern evidence examiners who are expected to provide expert witness testimony in today's ever-changing environment. It combines training in scientific analysis with the skills necessary to articulate your opinion in the witness stand as an expert witness.

We all know that the proper application and articulation of scientific principles to forensic evidence are basic requirements of the modern-day forensic practitioner. This five-day course will explore and explain basic scientific principles as they pertain to pattern evidence comparisons, conclusions, and testimony. Although the primary forensic discipline addressed will be friction ridge analysis, the majority of the instruction will be equally relevant to other pattern evidence disciplines. Practical exercises are designed to demonstrate the benefits of questioning information rather than accepting it as a means of improvement. For an expert witness to convey the scientific reasoning behind their conclusion, they must fully understand it themselves. Opinions without justification no longer meet the court's needs, and this course is designed to bridge the gap between what has been common practice in the past and what is now required in the post-Daubert environment. This is not a basic courtroom testimony class, but should be considered required training for anyone who will be asked to offer scientific opinion testimony as an expert witness.

This course is designed for all pattern evidence practitioners, especially friction ridge examiners, regardless of experience level. More experienced examiners will be able to learn an improved method of conveying their opinions from a more scientific perspective, while less experienced examiners will be able to develop a method of examination and testimony that will withstand the current and future challenges of our legal system as they develop. The student will be able not only to better understand the scientific principles of their forensic discipline but also to articulate those principles while offering their opinion testimony as an expert witness.