Webinar: April 18, 2013 - When Advocates are Asked to be Expert Witnesses: Weighing Possible Drawbacks and Benefits
The following webinar comes from the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women:
Webinar
When Advocates are Asked to be Expert Witnesses: Weighing Possible Drawbacks and Benefits
Presenter: Cindene Pezzell, Esq.
Legal Coordinator
National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women
Date: April 18, 2013
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
This webinar is part of a series about
Expert Witnesses
hosted by the
National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women.
Please watch for announcements about future webinars.
Webinar Description: This webinar is designed to help participants think critically about the possible benefits and drawbacks of utilizing domestic violence and/or sexual assault advocates as expert witnesses.
This webinar will begin by reviewing some current realities about community-based advocates (e.g., advocates are, in fact, experts; advocates are being asked to testify as experts all the time; practitioners and victims of battering find that expert testimony can have a positive impact; many anti-domestic violence programs and state coalitions are recognizing and responding to the need for expert testimony by providing training, support to advocate expert witnesses; and that many advocates and other anti-domestic violence professionals are doing amazing work testifying and training other experts). It will include a discussion of possible drawbacks and benefits of community-based advocates serving as experts. It will end by acknowledging current realities and examine issues community-based programs need to consider when assessing if, and when, they will provide expert services.
Cindene Pezzell is the Legal Coordinator at the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women (NCDBW). Before joining NCDBW in 2008, Cindene was an assistant public defender in Philadelphia, where she focused primarily on trial work. Cindene is Lead Staff on NCDBW’s Expert Project, which is funded by the Office on Violence Against Women, and has been working in that capacity to develop resources designed to increase the availability and effectiveness of expert testimony for victims of ongoing battering. In addition to coordinating the Legal Team at the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, Cindene provides direct technical assistance to defense teams, researches and develops legal materials, and conducts training programs.
REGISTRATION DETAILS: This webinar is open OVW Grants to Encourage Arrest (GTEA) Grantees, LAV grantees, other OVW grantees, and the general public. It is free of charge.
Questions?: For questions about this webinar, please contact the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women at ncdbw@ncdbw.org. Please put “webinar question” in the subject line.