Recent Supreme Court ruling focus of training

The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan will present the Traffic Safety Training Program Webinar “Navigating Foundational Challenges in Light of the Supreme Court’s Holding in Smith v Arizona” on Thursday, November 7, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.

This one-hour webinar will address the history and evolution surrounding the admission of evidential laboratory results for prosecutors. Beginning with the U.S. Supreme Court’s holdings in Meledez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, 557 US 305 (2009) and Bullcoming v. New Mexico, 564 US 647 (2011), to the most recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Smith v Arizona, 144 S.Ct. 1785 (2024), the court’s application of the Confrontation Clause of the United States Constitution to the admission of evidential laboratory results at trial has continued to pose challenges and legal hurdles.

In addition to dissecting the history behind these rulings and the evolution of the law, this webinar will also:

• Break down the holding of the U.S Supreme Court in Smith v. Arizona.

• Address what options are available to prosecutors moving forward, especially here in Michigan, utilizing demand and waiver rules under the Michigan Court Rules.

• Address how to prepare for trial in light of this most recent ruling in Smith, including recommended laboratory witnesses and exhibits based on the methods and procedures utilized by the MSP Toxicology Lab.

This online seminar is recommended for prosecutors, assistant prosecutors and support staff who prepare these cases for trial and are responsible for the admission of toxicology laboratory reports at trial.
The webinar will be presented by Michigan Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Eric Wanink.

To register for this free webinar, visit https://michiganprosecutor.org and click on “training calendar.”  After registering, pending approval, attendees will receive a confirmation email from Zoom with instructions on how to join the webinar.