Blog
Profile: Innocence Network UK
In December 2014, a group of law students and lecturers from the University of Cardiff successfully overturned the murder conviction of Dwaine George, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment following the death of Daniel Dale in 2001. During the original trial, the jury determined that tiny... Read More
Expert Evidence Pilot affects the welfare of childrens' lives
How the impact of the Expert Evidence Pilot has affected the welfare of children's lives Judges and courts across the country have been faced with the inability to order expert evidence in private family law cases including DNA, Drug & Alcohol Testing. Concerns have arisen about court... Read More
Interview: PD Dr Burkhard Rolf, Head of DNA Services
PD Dr Burkhard Rolf is Head of DNA Services here at DNA Legal, leading a highly-skilled and dedicated team of forensic scientists at our world-leading laboratory. His wealth of experience ensures that we continue to pioneer the most advanced testing in the world, guaranteeing the highest levels of... Read More
How We Conduct a Hair Drug Test
Understanding our scientific testing may seem confusing at first, and we appreciate that your clients may feel nervous about the whole process. Therefore, we’ve created a step-by-step guide to talk you through Hair Drug Testing, allowing you to brief clients on what to expect. Before the... Read More
5 Questions All Law Firms Should Ask DNA Testing Labs
A quick Internet search reveals a plethora of DNA testing firms, each offering a wide range of services that vary in price. However, some laboratories are more reputable than others, so it’s important to do some research before booking. We’re often contacted by clients who have received... Read More
Historic Disputes Solved by DNA Testing
Every year, numerous criminal cases are re-opened due to evidence offered by DNA testing, leading to convictions or exonerations of long past crimes. The chances of other suspects featuring the same DNA profile are quoted as ‘billions to one’, making it an accurate way of proving that an individual... Read More
Profile: Sir Alec Jeffreys – the pioneer of DNA testing
Today we almost take DNA testing in our stride rather than appreciating it for the marvel of modern science it truly is. TV shows like Jeremy Kyle have brought the pioneering work to the masses for entertainment, and thanks to detective shows like CSI, we all feel like we have a bit of the DNA... Read More
The Legal Aid Effect on Family Law
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act was passed in 2012, despite resistance from legal professionals, social workers, parliamentary opposition parties and charities. The LASPO act abolished the Legal Services Commission, an executive non-departmental public body of the... Read More
New Research into Hair and Blood Alcohol Testing
Testing for the ingestion of alcohol can be important for a variety of cases, criminal and otherwise. However, ethanol is quickly absorbed by the body, so once metabolism occurs testing for alcohol abuse often becomes difficult. Blood and urine samples can be taken, but results tend to be weak... Read More
The National DNA Database:Clients' rights to privacy
In 1995, the United Kingdom National DNA Database (NDNAD) was founded by the now defunct National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), as a means of logging DNA samples from criminal suspects. To date, profiles of an estimated 7 million people have been recorded, with samples being recovered at... Read More
MDMA Exposure - A Second Opinion
What would you do if your client claimed their drink had been spiked with ecstasy, yet tests indicated they were a habitual user of the drug? In December 2012, Mr W. was off duty and socialising. He was given a drink which he later suspected had been spiked, almost certainly with MDMA. He... Read More
Identical Twin DNA Testing - How it works and the results
Genome scientists working for the DNA Legal laboratory, Eurofins Forensik, have overcome a stumbling block that DNA testing has faced since its inception; how to distinguish between identical twins. Aside from looking alike, it was also considered that identical twins shared the same... Read More