Legal Definitions

Legal proceedings that lead to the accused being released of responsibility for the claimed offenses by a jury/judge based on the lack of evidence presented in court.

An independent review of the laboratory quality assurance management system to ensure compliance to standards set by an accrediting body. This is done to ensure high quality products and services are provided.

A threat based on an attack using hazardous or toxic biological materials such as bacteria, fungi, or viral pathogens that are often naturally produced by organisms; an example of such hazardous biological material is anthrax.

Cases, often 3-5 years old, where all leads have been exhausted and all evidence has been analyzed with no further possibility leading to the perpetrator; often revisited over time using the newer technologies or databases to offer potential new leads from the evidence and information already gathered.

Legal proceedings that lead to the accused being found guilty for the claimed offenses by a jury/judge based on evidence presented in court.

Evidence that is presented in a case to support other probative evidence, such as DNA evidence, to reinforce the proposition suggested by the other evidence presented in the case.

The lawyers that represent the crown/government and prosecute the accused.

The lawyers that represent the accused and work zealously to defeat the claims/charges claimed by the crown/prosecutor.

A conclusion drawn in forensic analysis where a DNA profile from a sample is deemed to be from a different source than as the DNA profile of the questioned sample.

Legal proceedings that lead to the accused being cleared of any and all claimed offenses by a jury/judge based on evidence presented in court.

A conclusion drawn in forensic analysis where there is insufficient evidence to make an interpretation or comparison of the DNA profile of the biological sample.

Natural or Artificial unexpected instance where more than 12 people are injured or die from the incident.

Types of cases where an adult has disappeared and is suspected to be due to non-voluntary reasons or a child’s (<18) whereabouts are unknown and the disappearance suspected to be due to voluntary/non-voluntary reasons.

A conclusion drawn in forensic analysis where the DNA profile from a sample is from a known or unknown source is consistent with the DNA profile of the questioned sample.

Evidence that offers information that can be interpreted to develop a potential association between the evidence analyzed and other evidence presented in the case or reference samples; the degree of probative value assigned to evidence presented is determined by the judge of the trial to ensure the jury remains impartial if the evidence is admitted.

Methodology of planned and systematic activities implemented into laboratory standard to ensure adequate confidence and requirements set by accredited bodies are being attained.

Evidence that presents probative value but acts in a more corroborative manner.

A process where a new method of analysis or instrument is critiqued and scrutinized to ensure repeatability, reproducibility, and highest accuracy, precision, and
signal-to-noise ratio.