The following questions represent a flow of testimony that could be presented for a trial involving STR DNA typing. One may choose a sampling of questions from this section for a shorter direct examination. It is recommended that DNA testimony be kept as simple as possible and limited to 30-60 minutes in length.

Voir Dire:

1. Please state your name for the court.
2. Where are you currently employed?
3. How long have you been employed there?
4. What is your job title and responsibilities?
5. Describe any previous employment or experience.
6. Briefly describe your educational background.
7. Briefly describe any continuing education relevant to DNA testing.
8. Do you belong to any professional organizations?
9. Have you presented Forensic DNA papers at professional meetings?
10. How many cases have you directed and processed using DNA analysis?
11. How many cases has your laboratory processed using STR typing techniques?
12. Has your laboratory processed any high profile DNA cases that received national attention?

Offer as expert in Forensic DNA Analysis

Questions For Admission of DNA Evidence or Proceeding with STR Analysis:

1. What is DNA?
2. What type of DNA analysis did you perform in this case?
3. What does STR analysis mean, and how do you perform the analysis?
4. How many DNA laboratories are currently performing STR analysis?
5. Are there scientific articles and books supporting the theories and methods on which STR testing is based?
6. Are STR testing procedures generally accepted as valid by the scientific community?
7. Do the techniques and procedures used in STR testing produce accurate and reliable results?
8. Are there standards for STR testing that lead you to these opinions?
9. As such, did your laboratory perform validation studies on the accuracy and reliability of STR testing prior to performing forensic casework?
10. Have all of the STR cases you have worked on failed to exclude a suspect?
11. Have any of your laboratory’s STR cases been tried in a court of law?
12. How many cases involving STR evidence have been accepted and tried in courts of law?
13. If you cannot exclude an individual with STR analysis, then what is the significance of a match?
14. Was STR analysis used in the case we are discussing today?

Case Specific:

1. Did you have occasion to perform any DNA testing in connection with this case on trial?
2. Did you use the techniques and procedures mentioned previously to perform the DNA testing in this case?
3. Did you properly apply these techniques and procedures to the evidence in this case?
4. When did you receive the evidence for this case? Who did you receive it from?
5. List the items of evidence that were received and tested.
6. After you received the evidence, can you explain how the case was processed and analyzed?
7. What were the results of your analysis?
8. What is the statistical significance of the DNA match?