The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan will present a webinar on “SFSTs, Driving, and the Law – How to Effectively Tie Them Together for a Jury” Thursday, April 16, from noon to 1:15 p.m. via Zoom.
The importance of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) in roadside investigations cannot be overstated. Among the many challenges in presenting SFST evidence in court is relating them to the fact finder so that they understand just how important this evidence can be to a finding of impairment and to combat OWI defense challenges to the contrary. Therefore, it is fundamentally essential that officers make the most out of their time on the stand and be able to explain to the fact finder, whether it be a judge or a jury, just how the results of these roadside sobriety tests relate back to the ability of the defendant to operate a motor vehicle safely.
It is also essential that prosecutors be able to explain to their fact finders the significance of the results of SFSTs, in simple terms and through the use of real-world analogies, in order to relate those results back to the complicated task of driving and convince a judge or a jury that the defendant meets the legal definition of “under the influence” in Michigan because he or she cannot operate a motor vehicle safely in the same manner as a sober driver.
This 75-minute presentation will assist both officers and prosecutors to explain SFSTs in an easy-to-understand manner to help fact finders understand the association between SFSTs and an individual’s ability to drive.
The webinar will be presented by Deena Ryerson, Oregon traffic safety resource prosecutor, Oregon Department of Justice; and Ashley Schluck, Wyoming traffic safety resource prosecutor, Wyoming Highway Safety Office.
The program is designed for drug recognition experts, police officers, city attorneys, prosecutors, and assistant prosecutors.
To register for this free webinar, visit https://michiganprosecutor.org and click on “training.”
The importance of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) in roadside investigations cannot be overstated. Among the many challenges in presenting SFST evidence in court is relating them to the fact finder so that they understand just how important this evidence can be to a finding of impairment and to combat OWI defense challenges to the contrary. Therefore, it is fundamentally essential that officers make the most out of their time on the stand and be able to explain to the fact finder, whether it be a judge or a jury, just how the results of these roadside sobriety tests relate back to the ability of the defendant to operate a motor vehicle safely.
It is also essential that prosecutors be able to explain to their fact finders the significance of the results of SFSTs, in simple terms and through the use of real-world analogies, in order to relate those results back to the complicated task of driving and convince a judge or a jury that the defendant meets the legal definition of “under the influence” in Michigan because he or she cannot operate a motor vehicle safely in the same manner as a sober driver.
This 75-minute presentation will assist both officers and prosecutors to explain SFSTs in an easy-to-understand manner to help fact finders understand the association between SFSTs and an individual’s ability to drive.
The webinar will be presented by Deena Ryerson, Oregon traffic safety resource prosecutor, Oregon Department of Justice; and Ashley Schluck, Wyoming traffic safety resource prosecutor, Wyoming Highway Safety Office.
The program is designed for drug recognition experts, police officers, city attorneys, prosecutors, and assistant prosecutors.
To register for this free webinar, visit https://michiganprosecutor.org and click on “training.”
