DPA 2025 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

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8:30am EDT

Defending Alleged Abusive Head Trauma Cases: Challenging the Commonwealth’s Experts Under Daubert

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

This session will address the issues surrounding alleged abusive head trauma (AHT) cases and how best to defend against the Commonwealth's AHT theory at trial. Whitney and Chelsea will discuss how the AHT diagnosis fails the Daubert standard, and the ways in which trial attorneys should be challenging the Commonwealth's child abuse experts as well as the diagnosis itself. Whitney and Chelsea will draw from two AHT cases from the trial and PC stages to demonstrate the unreliability of the AHT diagnosis and how to effectively challenge it pre-trial.

Speakers

Whitney Allen

KIP Staff Attorney, Department of Public Advocacy

Whitney Allen graduated from the University of Kentucky’s College of Law in 2018. She joined DPA’s Post-Conviction Branch in 2018 and moved into her role as a staff attorney with the Kentucky Innocence Project in 2019. She currently litigates post-conviction innocence claims... Read More →

Chelsea Clem

KIP Staff Attorney, Department of Public Advocacy

Chelsea Clem is a 2019 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law. While in law school, she was selected to participate in the KIP externship. This experience led her to join DPA's Post-Conviction Branch upon graduation, where she spent nearly six years litigating claims... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 9 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

8:30am EDT

Early Childhood Neurodevelopment and Legal Defense

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 10-11

Defense teams typically include thinking about trauma experiences and their effects on client behaviors in committing crimes and in potentially mitigating sentences. However, there are also neurophysiological factors that can greatly shape client behaviors in ways that may be hidden from clients’ awareness. This workshop will explore the potential effects of negative events in early life and they ways in which these effects can be manifest in client behaviors. The session includes a review of key factors in early childhood neurodevelopment and the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effects of early problems in development and how these can be relevant to mitigation and defense team relationships with clients. In part II (offered in the next hour), we will discuss recommendations for interviewing clients and family/other witnesses and data collection will be discussed. Thus, the overall goal of this workshop is to simply increase defense awareness of and confidence in exploring this clearly difficult area.

Speakers

Robert Walker, MSW

Consultant and Retired Faculty Member, University of Kentucky Department of Behavioral Science

Robert Walker, MSW, is a retired faculty member of the Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, and member of the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research at the University of Kentucky. He spent 30 years in community mental health as an LCSW, 20 of which were as the agency... Read More →

Athena Kheibari

Assistant Professor in Social Work

Athena Kheibari, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Wayne State University School of Social Work in Detroit, Michigan. Her research agenda is formulated to understand suicide at all system levels and to produce meaningful empirical data that has realistic implications for prevention... Read More →

Walker, Kheibari Early Childhood Development in Legal Defense pdf

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 10-11 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW

8:30am EDT

Litigating KRS Chapter 202C Cases

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 12-13

This session will provide an overview of involuntary commitment proceedings under KRS Chapter 202C and what we have learned since the law was enacted in 2021 and amended in 2024. We will explore constitutional and evidentiary objections, potential ethical concerns, and pending appeals, as well as give practice tips for handling these cases.

Speakers

Tim Arnold

Attorney, Appeals Branch, Department of Public Advocacy

Tim Arnold graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, in 1993, and from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1996. After joining the bar, Tim started as an attorney in the Juvenile Post Dispositional Branch of DPA in the Frankfort office, and served as the Branch Manager... Read More →

Kathleen Schmidt

Appeals Branch Manager, Department of Public Advocacy

Kathleen Kallaher Schmidt has served DPA as the Appeals Branch Manager since June 2007. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, and the University of Kentucky School of Law, Ms. Schmidt began her career at DPA as an intern in 1981 and as an attorney in 1983. She practiced in the Appeals... Read More →

Sheila Seadler

Department of Public Advocacy

Sheila Seadler is a staff attorney in the Louisville region of the Department of Public Advocacy. In that role, she represents individuals accused of serious criminal offenses in the district and circuit courts, acts as lead counsel in high profile cases, works with other attorneys... Read More →

Beth McMahon

Post-Trial Division Director, Department of Public Advocacy

Beth McMahon is the Director of DPA’s Post-Trial Division. She is a graduate of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky College of Law. Beth began her career at the Louisville Metro Public Defender's Office in 1994, where she served as a staff attorney in the Juvenile... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 12-13 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW

8:30am EDT

Perceptions and Distortions: What Body Camera Footage Does and Doesn't Show

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Ballroom 2

Body cameras have become ubiquitous, adding large amounts of digital evidence to existing caseloads. Body cameras have evolved greatly in their iterations and capacity. `This session will walk though what to look for, what to ask for and how to approach body camera evidence in criminal cases.

Speakers

Jumana Musa

Jumana Musa is a human rights attorney and racial justice activist. She is currently the Director of the Fourth Amendment Center at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. As director, Ms. Musa oversees NACDL's initiative to build a new, more durable Fourth Amendment... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Ballroom 2 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

8:30am EDT

Science vs. Suspicion: Defending DUI Cases with the NHTSA Manual

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 14

This session will cover the three phases of investigation in the NHTSA guide which aid law enforcement in detecting impairment of drivers of motor vehicles. It will discuss where cross-examination with the NHTSA guide fits in to the broader scheme of DUI defense and DUI law enforcement cross-examination. Finally, it will provide a general guide to challenging the weight afforded to field sobriety tests and other "indicators" of intoxication.

Speakers

Kadison Roberts

Staff Attorney II, Department of Public Advocacy

Kadison Roberts received a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida in 2020, and graduated from Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa in 2023. He has experience as a student attorney working in indigent defense, criminal prosecutions, and in appellate... Read More →

Christopher Schramm

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 14 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

8:30am EDT

Speech in the Age of Surveillance and AI: Legal Defense of Social Media Evidence

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Ballroom 3

How to exclude, chip away at and cross-examine around social media evidence.

Speakers

Justin Rosas

Justin Rosas received his JD from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law and

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Ballroom 3 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

8:30am EDT

What to Do with Your Mental Health Evidence

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Ballroom 1

We will examine how to gather and utilize mental health evidence in a practical manner in your case. This will include the ethical handling of the material and involvement of the client in the decision making process. Different specific defenses and scenarios will be examined with an emphasis on the courtroom application of mental health evidence.

Speakers

Tom Griffiths

Tom Griffiths is a lifelong public defender. He has been a public defender for over twenty five years. The majority of that time has been with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy focusing on defense in death penalty cases. He has taken six capital cases to trial and has handled... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Ballroom 1 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Ethics

Audience ASW, ASW-SB71

9:45am EDT

4AC Sampler: Tech Topics, Trends, and Tips from the Fourth Amendment Center

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Ballroom 2

AI another technologies have infected every aspect of the criminal legal system. This session will do a high level survey of law enforcement tech tools and provide tips on how to identify and challenge them in criminal cases.

Speakers

Jumana Musa

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Ballroom 2 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

9:45am EDT

Finding the Buried Bodies: Discovering the Flaws in Forensic Science Evidence

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Ballroom 1

Session 1: Discover how to approach forensic science evidence in building your defense and how and where to discover the flaws by obtaining records not generally provided in discovery or overlooked. In addition, learn how best to present such evidence to juries in language and examples they can understand.

Speakers

Jerry Buting

Jerome F. Buting is a partner in the Brookfield, Wisconsin law firm of Buting, Williams & Stilling, S.C. He received his undergraduate degree in Forensic Studies from Indiana University and his law degree from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. He is a past board director... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Ballroom 1 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

9:45am EDT

Mitigation 101

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Ballroom 3

This session is designed to introduce public defender staff and private practitioners (attorneys, mitigation specialists, investigators, and paralegals) to the fundamentals of capital mitigation. This session is a primer targeted for newer practitioners to capital defense work. Topics covered will include, but are not limited to working with a mitigation specialist, what a typical investigation should include, and preparing for a penalty phase.

Speakers

Cara Venning

Mitigation Specialist, Venning and Associates, LLC

Cara is a capital mitigation specialist with several years' experience working in public defense settings. Cara has spent her legal career working with capital defense teams, helping to serve indigent clients facing the death penalty.

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Ballroom 3 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW, ASW-SB71

9:45am EDT

Role of Childhood Development on Adult Disorder: Application Techniques

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 10-11

In this session we will discuss recommendations for interviewing clients and family/other witnesses and data collection around childhood development will be discussed. This is the second part of a 2-part session. The first session focused on how to look at trauma experiences and their effects on client behaviors in committing crimes and in potentially mitigating sentences. The overall goal of this workshop is to simply increase defense awareness of and confidence in exploring this clearly difficult area.

Speakers

Robert Walker, MSW

Consultant and Retired Faculty Member, University of Kentucky Department of Behavioral Science

Athena Kheibari

Assistant Professor in Social Work

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 10-11 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW

9:45am EDT

Team Collaboration in Post Trial Cases

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 14

Building teams and collaboration in appellate and postconviction is essential to effective advocacy. This session will focus on the importance of multi-disciplinary teams, cultural humility, communication and collaboration necessary to provide a zealous defense. We will explore specific case examples of how teamwork can result in successful litigation.

Speakers

Melinda Pendergraph

Training Director, Missouri Public Defender

Melinda Pendergraph is Training Director for the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office, serving in that capacity since 2011. She has worked in the Missouri Public Defender’s Office since 1986. During that time, Melinda primarily handled death penalty appeals in the Missouri... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 14 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

9:45am EDT

Unlocking Public Information: Navigating Kentucky's Open Records Process

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 12-13

Ever hit a wall trying to access crucial public information? Get ready for a game-changing adventure through Kentucky's Open Records law that will transform how you build your cases! This high-energy, hands-on session will equip attorneys and investigators with the perfect blend of legal knowledge and investigative techniques to turn frustrating roadblocks into information goldmines. You'll learn to craft irresistible record requests, challenge denials with compelling appeals, and navigate the sometimes mysterious world of public information access in the Commonwealth.

Bring your toughest cases and most challenging scenarios—we'll tackle them together with practical solutions you can implement immediately. Our dynamic presenters will share insider tips that strengthen the critical attorney-investigator partnership, the backbone of effective case building in today's complex legal landscape. The collaborative approach mirrors what makes legal teams successful: strategic thinking and shared expertise focused on achieving concrete results.

This session is just the beginning! Part 2, "Unveiling Justice: Navigating Kentucky's Open Records Law and Strategic Discovery Tactics in Criminal Cases," will complete your toolkit, teaching you how to masterfully strengthen criminal defense strategies while fulfilling ethical obligations. Come curious, leave confident—with real-world strategies that work. Your next successful records request—and the seamless collaboration between legal expertise and investigative skill that defines exceptional case outcomes—starts here!

Speakers

Stephen Bratcher

Public Advocate Investigator III, Department of Public Advocacy

Stephen serves as the Public Advocate Investigator for the Glasgow Trial Office, where he leverages his background in criminal justice and investigation. With academic foundations in Criminal Justice from Eastern Kentucky University and both Criminal Justice and Business Administration... Read More →

Melanie Lowe

Deputy Public Advocate, Department of Public Advocacy

Melanie Lowe was raised in Catlettsburg, Kentucky, the daughter, granddaughter, and niece of steelworkers. She became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and English from Marshall University. She went on to receive her J.D... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 12-13 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

9:45am EDT

District to circuit appeals: You got this!

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Mtg. Rm. 9

Don’t be afraid of an “appeal.” It’s likely you already possess the skillset to competently appeal a district court order. To help you draft a winning brief, this session provides a step-by-step guide alongside your ethical obligations.

Speakers

Christopher (Kit) Thurman

Staff Attorney, Department of Public Advocacy

Christopher (Kit) Thurman: Kit has over ten years of experience in public defense. From 2014 to 2024, he represented indigent clients at the Louisville Metro Public Defenders office, first as a trial attorney until 2018 then as an appellant attorney. Following the closing of the Louisville... Read More →

Jennifer Hubbard

Assistant Appellate Defenders, Department of Public Advocacy

Jennifer (Jenn) Hubbard: Jenn has almost 7 years of experience in public defense. From 2018 to 2024, she represented indigent clients at the Louisville Metro Public Defenders Office, first as a trial attorney, until she transitioned to an appellate attorney in 2022. Following the... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Mtg. Rm. 9 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Ethics

11:00am EDT

Featured Session: Bruce Bryan

Tuesday June 3, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT

Ballrooms 1-2

After spending nearly 30 years behind bars, Bryan was granted clemency in December 2022 and released on April 24. Bryan now works for the Queens Public Defender Office as a client advocate. He speaks nationally on the “excessive violence” that he endured daily in prison daily and how the prison library became his sanctuary, where he spent time studying law and reading. Bryan credits Nelson Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom” with changing his life. “That’s when I decided I wasn’t going to serve time, I was going to have time serve me,” he said. “Every bit of my time I began to utilize in the best way possible.” In this session Mr. Bryan will talk about his experiences in prison, how they shaped him, and how we can use his teachings to better serve our clients.

Speakers

Bruce Bryan

I am Bruce Bryan. At 23, I was wrongfully convicted and spent 29 years in New York's maximum-security prisons. My conviction stemmed from a corrupt prosecutor's actions and a flawed investigation. During my incarceration, I chose to transform my life through education and advocacy... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Ballrooms 1-2 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

General

12:00pm EDT

Lunch Provided & Affinity Groups

Tuesday June 3, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT

Ballroom 3

Affinity groups are a great way to meet new people around common interests! Grab a lunch and chat with new friends.

Position-Based Affinity Groups (required)

All investigators with Holly Harrison-Hawkins
All ASWs with Dawn Gasser

Interest-Based Affinity Groups (optional)

Police Misconduct/Selective Enforcement
Immigration
Tech
DEI
Forensics
Mental Health

Tuesday June 3, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
Ballroom 3 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

General

1:30pm EDT

ADHD, Race, and the School to Prison Pipeline

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 9

You’ve heard about the School-to-Prison pipeline: disproportionately Black and Brown youth are funneled out of schools and into the juvenile legal system because racism and biases about behavior lead to suspensions, increasing the risk of juvenile system contact. But there is another, less visible School-to-Prison pipeline: untreated ADHD symptoms are interpreted as behavioral problems that lead to suspensions, also increasing the risk of juvenile system contact. The compound effects of these pipelines mean that Black children with ADHD are more likely to be caught in the School-to-Prison pipeline. This presentation covers a primer on ADHD, racial disparities in ADHD diagnosis and treatment, and tips for practitioners in working more effectively with child and adult clients with ADHD, many of whom have experienced the harms of the School-to-Prison pipeline.

Speakers

Shaleesa Clayton

Alternative Sentencing Worker, Department of Public Advocacy

Shaleesa Clayton is an alternative sentencing working in the Frankfort Trial Office. In 2011 she earned her degree in Sociology with a Criminology minor from Western Kentucky University. Soon after graduation, Shaleesa began her career in state government beginning with Probation... Read More →

Sarah Aagard

Staff Attorney III, Department of Public Advocacy

Sarah Aagard is a Staff Attorney in the Lexington South Trial Office and an alum of the Frankfort and Hopkinsville Trial Offices. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Sarah worked in union and community organizing in the Southwest for several years after college before attending... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 9 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW, ASW-SB71

1:30pm EDT

Complex Medical Cases

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Ballroom 3

This presentation will consider the purposes of a forensic autopsy or case review, focusing on cases in which the original forensic pathologist / medical examiner or other expert made a non-evidence-based diagnosis without scientific foundation, thereby catalyzing criminal charges. In many of these cases, simple searches of readily available forensic literature, much of it in well-known book or journal form on most MEs shelves, could have prevented the defendant’s travails. The presentation will extrapolate from these cases to touch upon commonly encountered errors, confirmation biases, the logical fallacy of post hoc ergo proper hoc, as well as basic medical and forensic principles to which all forensic scientists should adhere and be examined upon in criminal or civil proceedings. To quote Saukko and Knight: “over-interpretation […] regrettably still leads to instances of miscarriage of justice.” We will also hear from counsel, discussing =how best to work with your retained medical expert, such as a forensic pathologist, not only in preparing your defense, but also in crafting and conducting your cross examination of the State’s pathologist and it’s other medical experts. Whitney will discuss how not retaining an expert or working effectively with your expert at the trial stage can affect your client’s case at appeal and post-conviction stages.

Speakers

Dr. Gregory Davis

Forensic Pathologist and Former Kentucky Associate Chief Medical Examiner, University of Kentucky

After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky, Greg Davis obtained the MD degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, whereupon he returned to Kentucky for a clinical internship at the University of Louisville. After Anatomic and Clinical... Read More →

Whitney Allen

KIP Staff Attorney, Department of Public Advocacy

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Ballroom 3 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

1:30pm EDT

Getting the Most Out of Your First DUI Trial

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 12-13

DUI cases are often among the first that newer attorneys will take to trial. How can you make sure you are prepared? This session will go over the essentials that every attorney must know before taking their first DUI case to trial. We will cover important pretrial motions, effective cross-examination techniques, case law to have on hand for making valid objections, and the best arguments for some of the most challenging issues that commonly arise in DUI cases.

Speakers

Aaron Riggs

Staff Attorney Supervisor, Department of Public Advocacy

Aaron Riggs is the Supervising Attorney for the Frankfort Post-Conviction Office, Unit B. A life-long Kentuckian, he attended the University of Louisville for both his undergraduate and law degrees, graduating from the Brandeis School of Law in 2016. While in law school, he was an... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 12-13 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

1:30pm EDT

Legislative Update 2025

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Ballroom 1

In this session we will discuss all bills that passed in the 2025 legislative session that will impact public defender clients and employees. We'll also discuss the status of long-term criminal justice reform efforts and the prospects of reform legislation in 2026.

Speakers

Damon Preston

Public Advocate, Department of Public Advocacy

Damon Preston has worked as a public defender for 31 years and is Kentucky’s Public Advocate. After graduating from Transylvania University and Harvard Law School, Damon began his legal career as a public defender in New York City with the Legal Aid Society. He returned to Kentucky... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Ballroom 1 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

1:30pm EDT

Tackling Transfer as a Team

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 14

In this session, we will dive into the world of working on a youthful offender case and how to effectively work as a team to build the best case for your child client facing serious consequences if they are transferred to adult court.

Speakers

Emily Holt

Staff Attorney III, Department of Public Advocacy

Emily Holt began her career with the LaGrange Trial Office as a Staff Attorney in May 2021. She spent 2024 in Paducah assisting with staffing shortages before transitioning to the Juvenile Post Disposition Branch. From the start of her time with the public defender’s office, Emily... Read More →

Kenny Dial

Special Investigator, Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy

Kenny Dial was born in Frankfort and raised in Lawrenceburg, Ky. He has award winning experience with the US Marines and as a first responder at Bluegrass Army Depot. He earned a bachelor’s in Justice and Public Safety Administration with Sullivan University in 2016. Kenny began... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 14 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW

1:30pm EDT

Telling the Story of Use Disorders and Mental Health

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Ballroom 2

Many of our cases involve mental health, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. During this session we will discuss how to tell the story of mental health so that the fact-finder can truly see our clients as individuals in need of support. In this session we will discuss the various ways to gather information on mental health and how to present mental health arguments in a persuasive manner.

Speakers

Lorinda Youngcourt

Senior Litigator, Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington & Idaho

Lorinda Youngcourt has represented capital and non-capital clients in trial, direct appeal, state post-conviction, and federal habeas corpus as a public defender and in private practice. She is a National Criminal Defense College faculty member. She is a member of the Board of Directors... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Ballroom 2 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW, ASW-SB71

1:30pm EDT

Unveiling Justice: Navigating Kentucky's Open Records Law and Strategic Discovery Tactics in Criminal Cases

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 10-11

Attendees will gain insight into critical discovery tactics that ensure your team is fully informed and prepared for the legal challenges ahead. Whether you're a seasoned attorney or a member of the defense team in a supportive role, this session will help ensure compliance with ethical obligations under Supreme Court Rules 3.130. In this session, we will explore the critical role of understanding Kentucky’s Open Records Law and how it intersects with discovery in criminal cases to ensure competent representation, as required by Rule 1.1. We’ll examine how a strategic approach, combining Open Records and discovery efforts, can help attorneys fulfill their duty of diligence under Rule 1.3. Additionally, we will discuss the importance of effective and ongoing communication under Rule 1.4 to maximize the positive impact of both discovery and Open Records on the client's litigation. Finally, we will address the ongoing duty of confidentiality under Rule 1.6, emphasizing how attorneys can navigate Open Records and discovery while protecting sensitive client information.

Speakers

Stephen Bratcher

Public Advocate Investigator III, Department of Public Advocacy

Melanie Lowe

Deputy Public Advocate, Department of Public Advocacy

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 10-11 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Ethics

2:45pm EDT

Building Collaborative Teams on Serious Felony Cases

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 12-13

Every member of a defense team plays a vital role in providing effective representation to our clients, but we have to work together for the best outcomes. In this session, we will review characteristics of cases that create levels of complexity. We will review both universal best practices and DPA specific policies designed to strengthen interpersonal working relationships on individual teams, within our offices, and across the agency.

Speakers

Lorinda Youngcourt

Senior Litigator, Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington & Idaho

Holly Harrison Hawkins

Investigative Services Program Supervisor, Department of Public Advocacy

Holly joined DPA in 2017 as an Investigator with Post-Conviction. She became the Investigative Services Program Supervisor in the Fall of 2023. Prior the DPA, Holly worked for the Department of Corrections for 6 years, including nearly 5 years as a Probation/Parole Officer. Originally... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 12-13 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW

2:45pm EDT

Creative Ways to Present Argument in PC and Direct Appeals

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 14

Persuasive advocacy in postconviction and direct appeals require advocates to tell their client's story of injustice. This session will explore creative ways to tell our clients' stories to maximize their chances for relief.

Speakers

Melinda Pendergraph

Training Director, Missouri Public Defender

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 14 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

2:45pm EDT

Strangulation: Focus on Witnesses

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Ballroom 2

In this session we will do a deep dive into the cross of the Government’s witnesses and direct of defense witnesses in a strangulation trial. This will include a discussion on how to challenge pseudo-science and medical testimony. We will also explore how to elicit strong stories of non-guilt through storytelling in direct examination of the defense witnesses.

Speakers

Jeb Dennis

Attorney, Department of Public Advocacy

Jeb Dennis practices out of the DPA Bowling Green North Trial Office. He is from Cranford, New Jersey. Jeb moved to Durham, North Carolina to attend Duke University School of Law. Throughout his time at Duke, he was honored with the Pro Bono All Star Award for logging the most pro... Read More →

Lewis Collins

Staff Attorney II, DPA

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Ballroom 2 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

2:45pm EDT

Working with a Mitigation Specialist in a Non-Capital Case

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 10-11

This session is designed to give defense teams ideas in which to utilize a mitigation specialist in non -capital cases, including but not limited to focused areas of investigation and how to work with your judge to obtain Chapter 31 funding.

Speakers

Cara Venning

Mitigation Specialist, Venning and Associates, LLC

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 10-11 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW, ASW-SB71

2:45pm EDT

Working with our Veterans to Address Their Treatment Needs

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 9

Session will include the importance of identifying Veterans who are coming into the legal system. Will discuss the unique issues that impact Veterans and how these issues can contribute to interactions within the legal system. Finally, will discuss treatment options available to assist justice involved Veterans.

Speakers

Kathy Vasquez

Kathy Vasquez graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Masters Of Social Work Degree in December, 1993. In 1998, Kathy earned her LCSW.Prior to coming to the VA Health Care System, Kathy worked in community mental health and had a private practice for several years.Kathy joined... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 9 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Audience ASW, ASW-SB71

2:45pm EDT

You Was Doing 55 in a 54: Defending Complex Drug Cases

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Ballroom 1

Creative motion practice, the art of suppression and sentencing mitigation for complex drug cases.

Speakers

Justin Rosas

Justin Rosas received his JD from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law and

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Ballroom 1 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

2:45pm EDT

Invisible Disabilities: The Not-So-Obvious Conditions and the Obviously-Needed Dialogue

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Ballroom 3

Whether it is a coworker or client, invisible disabilities impact lives. This is an awareness raising session to identify invisible disabilities as well as identifying ways to combat the stigma associated with disabilities. We will discuss best practices for representing (advocacy) clients and ways to support our colleagues with invisible disabilities. There will be an overview of the ADA and Rehabilitation Act, ethical obligations such as Competency & Capacity issues, and information on P&A’s role.

Speakers

Cheyla Bush

Assistant General Counsel, Department of Public Advocacy

Cheyla Bush earned her law degree from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Louisville. Cheyla began her legal career in 2014 as a summer intern with the Department of Public Advocacy... Read More →

Jeff Edwards

Director of Protection and Advocacy, Department of Public Advocacy

Jeff Edwards has served Kentuckians with disabilities at Protection and Advocacy since 1996. His appointment as director was in 2014. He was the program coordinator for the PADD, PATBI and PAVA grants. While at Kentucky P&A, his focus has been the overmedication of children in psychiatric... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Ballroom 3 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Ethics

4:00pm EDT

Brady Violations: Are We Holding Our System Accountable?

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Ballroom 2

The presentation will include discussion of the state and federal law about Brady violations and what must be proven by defense counsel at both levels. The presentation will also cover the ethical obligations of prosecutors in terms of disclosure of Brady material and prosecutors obligations as to evidence held by others, such as law enforcement, and any ethical obligations defense counsel has to obtain Brady material they believe to be in existence and not provided. Lastly, the presentation will cover consequences which can be requested for defense counsel if a Brady violation has occurred.

Speakers

Whitney True Lawson

Attorney

Whitney True Lawson is a partner with the firm True Guarnieri Ayer, LLP in Frankfort, Kentucky, concentrating in the areas of criminal defense, at both the state and federal level, domestic relations, and administrative law. Whitney also practices at the appellate level in both state... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Ballroom 2 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

4:00pm EDT

Defending DNA Cases at Trial

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Ballroom 1

Gain an understanding of DNA evidence, how it is acquired and generated by a crime lab analyst and how to use or defend against it at trial, including recent developments and challenges to the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix. Will include some discussion of recent academic research by forensic scientists that can be useful to your defense. In addition, discussion of prosecution efforts to circumvent Smith v. Arizona's confrontation clause prohibition against surrogate analyst testimony.

Speakers

Jerry Buting

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Ballroom 1 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

4:00pm EDT

Immigration Update 2025

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Ballroom 3

Immigration law has drastically changed since January 2025, this session will provide an overview of all of the changes and how they intersect with criminal defense practice.

Speakers

Emily Jones

Legal Director, New Americans Initiative

Emily Jones is the Legal Director of New Americans Initiative (NAI). Prior to joining NAI, Emily worked as the Senior Immigration Attorney at Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) in Lexington. For over a decade, Emily has focused on the practice of humanitarian and family-based immigration... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Ballroom 3 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

4:00pm EDT

Kentucky Sentencing 101

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 12-13

This session will provide a basic understanding of how sentencing laws in Kentucky work, including scenarios for the audience to see sentencing laws in action. The audience will learn the key statutes and cases attorneys should be consulting when advising clients and common pitfalls to avoid. By the end of the session, the audience should be familiar with how to determine a client's maximum exposure in a single case, maximum exposure across multiple cases, probation eligibility, and parole eligibility.

Speakers

Alyson McDavitt

Directing Attorney, BG North, Department of Public Advocacy

Alyson McDavitt has been an attorney with DPA since 2008, when she started as a Staff I attorney in the Glasgow Trial Office but transferred to the Bowling Green Trial Office in 2011. She became Directing Attorney in Bowling Green in January 2022, and she has been the Directing Attorney... Read More →

Jason Pfeil

Staff Attorney III, Department of Public Advocacy

Jason J. Pfeil is a 1999 graduate of Marquette University Law School. He has been employed with DPA since 2001, serving clients in many trial offices in the Western and Central Regions of the DPA. Jason is currently assigned to the Bowling Green North Trial Office. Jason is a graduate... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 12-13 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

4:00pm EDT

Kentucky's Forensic Healthcare System

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 14

Discussion regarding the state healthcare continuum for forensic patients including the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center, Seth's Law, jail-based programming, forensic assertive community treatment, and future planning.

Speakers

Mariya Leyderman

Koleen Slusher

Facility Director, Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center (KCPC)

Dr. Koleen Rowland Slusher, LCSW, serves as the hospital director at Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center (KCPC), which operates under the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) as Kentucky’s sole forensic psychiatric hospital... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 14 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

4:00pm EDT

The Language and Advocacy of Use Disorders: Holding onto Humanity Through Setbacks

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 10-11

In one room people are told 'relapse is part of recovery'. In another their told there is "no excuse" and that court orders are court orders. Attorneys must be zealous advocates for their clients. We will discuss language and strategy to make sure defense teams feel empowered to meet that standard.

Speakers

Leann Kane

Alternative Sentencing Worker, Department of Public Advocacy

Leann Kane Alternative Sentencing Worker II Leann received her Master’s degree in social work from Northern Kentucky University in 2016. During graduate school, Leann interned with the Covington Trial office at DPA. After graduating, Leann worked in the community mental health field... Read More →

Brian Davis

Staff Attorney II, Department of Public Advocacy

Brian Davis is a Staff Attorney II for the Department of Public Advocacy’s Covington Trial Office.

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 10-11 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

4:00pm EDT

Ethics of Crucial Conversations on Teams

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mtg. Rm. 9

The goal is to build strong communication techniques on client representation teams so we can better collaborate for our clients. Not only is it better clients, it’s also ethically required.

Speakers

Cara Lane Cape

Executive Staff Advisor, Department of Public Advocacy

Cara Lane Cape is the Executive Staff Advisor at the Department of Public Advocacy (DPA). Ms. Cape received both a BSW and a Master of Social Work from Campbellsville University. Ms. Cape began her career at Protection and Permanency in Grayson County, where she was chief investigator... Read More →

Stephanie Corum

Supervising Attorney, Department of Public Advocacy

Stephanie Corum is Supervising Attorney in the Nicholasville Trial Office. Stephanie began her career in Illinois where she was a public defender for 13 years where she won an acquittal in a heavily media covered animal cruelty case where a puppy was put in an oven. In 2021, after... Read More →

Robin Rawlins

Department of Public Advocacy

Robin Rawlins began her career with the Louisville Metro Public Defender’s Office as a criminal defense investigator in February 2013. She was appointed to the position of Investigation Division Chief in 2018. In June 2019, she was awarded the Department of Advocacy’s Rosa Parks... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mtg. Rm. 9 Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507

Ethics