Wednesday, 27 August 2025
*Original Content was created in November 2024
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD hour
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Chair
Dr Amanda Bean, Director, Bean Law
Opening Presentation on Appeals Based on Questions of Admissibility of Forensic Evidence Presented by the Chair
Beyond the Double Helix: Unpacking the Challenges and Limitations of DNA Testing
- Issues and limitations with DNA evidence
- Using and challenging DNA in court
- Interpretating DNA profiles
- Probabilistic genotyping and statistical analysis
- New developments
- Checklist for forensic DNA evidence
Presented by Paige McElhinney, Director, Forensic Science Consultant, The Forensic Group
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the scientific and legal limitations of DNA evidence in criminal proceedings
- Learn how to critically evaluate, interpret and challenge DNA analysis methods, including probabilistic genotyping
Presenters
Dr Amanda Bean, Director, Bean LawAfter years of scientific research culminating in a PhD in Biomedical Science at the University of Waikato, Amanda embarked on a legal career with the aim of specialising in the use of scientific evidence in criminal trials, including physics, chemistry, and biology. As a result, she has a keen interest in Forensic Science and legal cases involving medical or scientific data. Amanda is a Solicitor and Director at Bean Law in Hamilton and practices alongside a small team of lawyers focusing on Criminal and Family Law.
Paige McElhinney, Director, Forensic Science Consultant, The Forensic Group
Paige McElhinney has worked in forensic science for over 20 years. She has worked for both the Crown, at ESR, and the defence, now a Director and forensic science consultant for The Forensic Group Ltd. Her areas of knowledge and expertise include - crime scene examination, body fluid identification, blood stain pattern interpretation, clothing damage, hair comparisons, footwear impression location, recovery and comparison and using DNA results to assist in interpretations. Paige was the Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC) (now MEDSAC) liaison at ESR and represented ESR at training courses on sexual abuse for medical personnel run by DSAC, as well as at the training of Police Medical Officers. She was also part of the team that developed the most recent medical examination kit and co-authored the chapters on Forensic Specimens and Forensic Science and Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault in The Medical Management of Sexual Assault (Sixth Edition 2006), published by DSAC.
