Annual Program
Establishing Innocence or Guilt
-
Plano, Texas, USA
The Center for American and International Law
5201 Democracy Drive
Plano, TX 75024
Online registration is closed. Walk-in registrations will be accepted at the registration desk.
Registrar: +1.972.244.3404
Fax: +1.972.244.3401
E-Mail: cail@cailaw.org
Overview
This annual program focuses on why wrongful convictions occur and how they can be prevented. Join our faculty members and explore topics ranging from drug cases and snitch testimony to hair analysis. This program will also include a presentation on how prosecutors and defense lawyers can do a better job of getting important information in front of the jury.
This course is funded by a grant from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Thanks to this grant, the seminar is offered tuition-free to most participants.
Download the Brochure (pdf)
For more details, download the online brochure.
Who Should Attend?
Judges, Prosecutors and their staff; Criminal Defense Attorneys and their staff; Law Enforcement Officers; and law student working with a Texas Innocence program. The program is FREE for most attendees.
Agenda and Faculty (as of 8/18/16)
Monday, August 29, 2016
8:00 am
Check-in and Registration (Refreshments Provided)
9:00 am
Avoid the Blame Game- Root Cause Analysis and Sentinel Case Review
- John Hollway, Associate Dean and Executive Director, The Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice, Philadelphia
10:30 am
Break
10:45 am
Identifying and Litigating Cognitive Bias in Forensic Science (Video and Skype)
- Professor William C. Thompson, UC Irvine, Irvine, California
11:45 am
Lunch (provided)
12:45 pm
CIU Panel Discussion- Where we are; what works, and what the challenges are
Moderator: John Hollway
- Dawn Moore Boswell, Chief, Conviction Integrity Unit, Tarrant County, Criminal DA's Office, Fort Worth, Texas
- Gary Udashen, Sorrels, Udashen & Anton, Dallas, Texas
- Michael Ware, Executive Director, The Innocence Project of Texas, Law Office of Michael Ware, Fort Worth, Texas and Former Chief, Conviction Integrity Unit, Dallas Co, Dallas, Texas
- Patricia J. Cummings, Chief, Conviction Integrity Unit, Dallas County, District Attorney's Office, Dallas, Texas
- Russell Wilson, Law Office of Russell Wilson and Former Chief, Conviction Integrity Unit, Dallas County, Dallas, Texas
2:15 pm
Break
2:30 pm
Snitch Testimony
- Michael Ware
3:30 pm
Forensic Testimony - With a Focus on DNA Mixtures
- Lynn Garcia, General Counsel, Texas Forensic Science Commission, Austin, Texas
- Bob Wicoff, Appellate Division Chief, Harris County Public Defender, Houston, Texas
5:00 pm
Recess
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
9:00 am
The Tim Cole Exoneration Review Commission and Electronic Recording of Investigative Interviews
- Cory Session, Vice-President, Innocence Project of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas
- Gary Udashen, Sorrels, Udashen & Anton, Dallas, Texas
10:00 am
Drug Cases - The Houston experience
- Nicolas Hughes, Assistant Public Defender, Harris County, Houston, Texas
10:30 am
Break
10:45 am
Accreditation of Forensic Labs and Licensing of Forensic Scientists
- Lynn Garcia, Texas Forensic Science Commission, Austin, Texas
11:30 am
Lunch
12:30 pm
Case Studies
- The San Antonio 4 - Michael Ware, Law Office of Michael Ware, Fort Worth, Texas
- The Michael Morton Case – Patricia Cummings
1:30 pm
Brady Issues- The Prosecution and Law Enforcement
- Bill Wirskye, Second Assistant District Attorney, Collin County, District Attorney's Office, McKinney, Texas
2:30 pm
Break
2:45 pm
Breakout Discussions - What have we learned? What can we do when we get home to make the system work better?
3:45 pm
Reporting back from the Breakouts
4:00 pm
Ethics & Cognitive Bias
- David Gonzalez, Sumpter & Gonzalez, Austin, Texas
5:00 pm
Adjourn
CLE Credit
MCLE Credit
The State Bar of Texas has approved this program for a total of 13.0 hours, including 1 hour of ethics. Course ID Number: 901359370.
In addition to Texas, after the program (if requested) CAIL will directly apply for course accreditation in the following states, as long as course materials and evaluations are not required: California, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Attorneys may be eligible to receive CLE credit through attorney self-submission in other states, as long as course materials and evaluations are not required to be submitted.
Overnight Accommodations
Hyatt Place Dallas/Plano
3100 Dallas Parkway
Plano, Texas 75093
Tel: 972.378.3997
Hyatt Place Plano welcomes our guests attending Actual Innocence and-or Habeas Issues programs, at The Center for American and International Law. We have set aside a block of rooms with a group rate of $94 plus applicable fees/taxes for 8/28/2016-8/31/2016.
Please make your reservations by 8/13/2016 . As long as the reservation is made by this date, and the group block has availability, you will receive the group rate. Any reservations not received on or before this cut-off date are subject to hotel availability at the best available prevailing rate.
Booking Instructions
Type in Arrival/Departure Dates
Enter Group/Corporate #: G-AL33
or
Call 888-HYATT-HP (888.492.8847) or 972.378.3997
Dates available: 8/28/2016-8/31/2016
Mention the group name: CAILAW / Innocence - Habeas
- A valid credit card is required to make reservations
- Tax Exemption Certificates and Credit Card Authorization Forms may be faxed to the hotel directly at 972.608.4427 prior to your arrival.
Other Information
Cancellation Policy
Written cancellation must be received 5 business days prior to a program to receive a refund (Email: lgaspar@cailaw.org). After this date, no refunds, but substitution of attendees for this program will be permitted with prior approval. Registrants not entitled to a refund will receive the course materials.
Nondiscriminatory Policy
The Center for American and International Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status in educational activities, scholarship programs or admissions.
Privacy Policy
We do not sell or rent information to any outside parties. By providing your information, you will receive postal and electronic communications from The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) in accordance with CAIL's Privacy Policy. If we co-sponsor a program with another organization, information may be shared between the parties. All such co-sponsors will be identified on the event details and registration page. At any point, you can opt-out or unsubscribe by selecting either link at the bottom of each email or call us at 972.244.3400.