How we going to get that evidence? This second 1.5 hour presentation continues with how you work with your investigators and what kind of information they can help you unearth and obtain in useable form. Our three presenters will discuss three distinct areas of investigation which could impact your practice. First, Investigator David Williams will discuss the functions of investigators and the tools that investigators utilize to collect evidence and information. Second, Investigator Edna Velez will review the kinds of evidence that can be located and utilized in dealing with child pornography cases. Finally, Investigator Rob Lunsford will discuss how accident reconstruction can impact cases. He will review what evidence can be located and what evidence should be requested, as well as how the work and evidence presented by the State can be attacked.

How do we get that? What can a qualified investigator do to improve your practice and what you can do to help your investigator get the information that you need. This 1.5 hour presentation will discuss how investigators work and discusses the types of information and evidence that they can obtain. This discussion will focus on the issuing of subpoenas and how they can utilized to obtain documents and other evidence. It will examine what evidence can be obtained from social media and how you would go about obtaining it. This presentation will also discuss the collection and use of serology and DNA evidence and how an investigator can assist in attacking such evidence. The presenters will provide a quick start guide on how to handle such evidence, as well as what to look for, and how to deal with common misconceptions regarding blood and DNA evidence.

The CLE will examine media as a tool of advocacy tempered by professional regulations and ethical obligations. Civil rights attorney Jasmine Rand will discuss the influence of media on the criminal and civil aspects of the Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and George Floyd cases, how media can strategically forward litigation and how media has influenced the criminal justice system. The discussion will provide a review of an attorney's professional regulations in regards to use of media in the state of Texas. The audience will be invited to engage in discussion regarding ethical and moral considerations on the use of media to further litigation and/or legislative process.

Professor Sullivan will address how theory, theme, and labels work in establishing what evidence the jury will hear

The most important aspects of challenging evidence are anticipating the introduction of the evidence and planning the objections before trial or a contested hearing. This CLE will focus on the most common grounds for excluding evidence at trial, evaluating evidence for admissibility (“evidence blocking”), preparing for challenges to the admissibility of evidence you wish to enter at trial, constitutionalizing objections, successfully preserving the record for appeal, and mistakes to avoid. This CLE aims to provide lawyers, particularly new lawyers, a methodology to better anticipate and prepare for evidentiary challenges in contested matters.