A Litigator’s Guide to DNA From the Laboratory to the Courtroom 1st Edition by Ron C Michaelis,Robert G Flanders Jr,Paula H Wulff ISBN 978-0123740366

A Litigator’s Guide to DNA educates both criminal law students and forensic science students about all aspects of the use of DNA evidence in criminal and civil trials. It includes discussions of the molecular biological basis for the tests, essential laboratory practices, probability theory and mathematical calculations, and issues relevant to the prosecution and the defense, and to the judge and jury hearing the case.

The authors provide a full background on both the molecular biology and the mathematical theory behind forensic tests, describing the molecular biological process in simple mechanical terms that are familiar to everyone, and periodically emphasizing the practical, take-home messages the student truly needs to understand.

Pedagogical elements such as Recapping the Main Point boxes and valuable ancillary material (Instructors’ Manual, PowerPoint slides) make this an ideal text for professors.

Table of contents:

1. Front Cover
2. A Litigator’s Guide to DNA: From the Laboratory to the Courtroom
3. Copyright Page
4. Dedication
5. Table of Contents
6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
7. INTRODUCTION
8. CHAPTER 1 The Structure of DNA and the Variability of the Human DNA Sequence
9. CHAPTER 2 The Molecular Biological Basis of Forensic DNA Tests
10. CHAPTER 3 Quality Control, Quality Assurance and Sources of Uncertainty in the Data
11. CHAPTER 4 Population Genetics, Probability Calculations and the Proper Interpretation of the Evidence
12. CHAPTER 5 Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Analyses
13. CHAPTER 6 Y Chromosome Analyses
14. CHAPTER 7 DNA in Court
15. CHAPTER 8 Arguing for the Prosecution
16. CHAPTER 9 Arguing for the Defense
17. CHAPTER 10 Postconviction DNA Testing
18. APPENDIX I: Using the Chi-Square Test to Determine if a Population Conforms to HWE Expectations
19. APPENDIX II: How the RMP, Prior Odds of Guilt, and the PFP Influence the Posterior Odds of Guilt (POG)
20. APPENDIX III: Paternity Index (PI) Calculations for Different Combinations of Maternal, Child and Alleged Father Genotypes
21. APPENDIX IV: A Sample Consent Form to Collect an Oral Swab, Which Allows the Profile Obtained to Be Entered Into a Databank for Use in Additional
22. APPENDIX V: Doing Your Own Research: Useful References, Websites and Strategies for Finding Current Information
23. GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
24. INDEX
25. Color Plates