Generally, and generically speaking, "forensic science" is the study, training and application of scientific techniques to matters and issues of law; the goal being to provide new tools and methodologies for determining the facts and discovering the "truth."
The field of "forensic law" includes the use of forensic science in providing accurate, timely, and complete information to all levels of decision-making in the criminal justice system.
The word "forensic," by the way, comes from the Latin word "forensic" which means forum, a public place where, in ancient Roman times, senators and others held debates and judicial proceedings.
In the state of Maryland, a large amount of the forensic science performed in criminal cases is done by the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences division of the Criminal Investigation Bureau [http://msa.maryland.gov/forensicsciences]. There are a few local police forensic science divisions in police departments such as Anne Arundel County and Montgomery County, as well. From DNA evidence and fingerprints to auto collision reconstruction, these units investigate occurrences in Maryland.
A recently famous Maryland forensic science went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS):
Abstract:
In Maryland v. King, 133 S. Ct. 1958 (2013), the Supreme Court held that Maryland’s statute requiring DNA samples from individuals arrested for crimes of violence or burglary did not violate the Fourth Amendment. One factor in the Court’s analysis is the extent to which the forensic DNA profiles invade medical privacy. The majority stated that “[t]he argument that the testing at issue in this case reveals any private medical information at all is open to dispute.” With respect to this dispute, eight scientists and two law professors filed a brief in support of neither party seeking to explain what current science tells us about the information conveyed by the thirteen short tandem repeats known as “CODIS markers,” the variations in DNA generally used in the United States for forensic identification. This publication consists of the core of the brief along with a foreword about the continuing legal significance of the issue.
Forensic science is a multidisciplinary subject used for probing crime scenes and gathering evidence to be used in prosecution of offenders in a court of law. Forensic science techniques are also used to examine compliance with international agreements regarding weapons of mass destruction. The main areas used in forensic science are biology, chemistry, and medicine, although the science also includes the use of physics, computer science, geology, and psychology.
Forensic scientists examine objects, substances (including blood or drug samples), chemicals (paints, explosives, toxins), tissue traces (hair, skin), or impressions (fingerprints or tidemarks) left at the crime scene.
Forensic science has undergone dramatic progress in recent years, including in the area of DNA collection and analysis and the reconstruction of crime scenes. However, only a very few professionals are equipped with the knowledge necessary to fully apply the potential of science in civil, criminal, and family legal matters.
ABOUT ATTORNEY CHARLES WARE
www.CharlesJeromeWare.com. "Here to make a difference." We can help you. Guaranteed.Among his numerous other legal awards and honors such as "America's Best Attorneys and Counselors", U.S. Super Lawyer, "Top Lawyers in America", Top Attorneys and Counselors in the U.S., "Top Lawyers in Maryland", and winner of the national "Charles Hamilton Houston Award for Outstanding Litigation", premier criminal defense attorney Charles Ware is recognized and ranked by hi many satisfied clients as well as his legal peers as "One of the 10 BEST DUI and DWI Attorneys in the State of Maryland," as confirmed from research, surveys and other investigation by The American Institute of DUI and DWI Attorneys [AIDUIA] --- a respected national organization of trial lawyers.
Attorney Ware is also the founder and senior partner of the Maryland-based national business, criminal defense and civil trial law firm Charles Jerome Ware, Attorneys & Counselors, LLC. For an initial courtesy consultation, call Mr. Ware at (410) 730-5016 or (410) 720-6129.
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