(Private) Panel for NAPD – Ntl Assoc Public Defenders
Tara will be joining an insightful panel discussion exploring the critical intersection of medicine and law in criminal defense. This 60-minute session brings together three experienced professionals to share practical wisdom on how medical experts and defense attorneys can work together more effectively.
Featured Panelists:
- Tara Godoy, RN (Moderator): Forensic nurse consultant with extensive experience in criminal cases
- Dr. Tony Gerard: Career emergency physician and a medical expert for criminal defense attorneys and public defenders
- Steve Mercer, Esq: Private Criminal defense attorney, former head of the Office of the Public Defender in Baltimore, Maryland.
Key Topics Include:
- Strategies for effective preparation between attorneys and medical experts
- Navigating challenges when medical findings are inconclusive or contradictory
- Techniques for presenting complex medical concepts to juries using analogies and visual aids
- Best practices for vetting and selecting appropriate medical experts
- Communication systems that improve case development and investigation
- Recognizing red flags in medical records that require expert consultation
- Real-world case examples demonstrating successful collaboration
This panel is ideal for defense attorneys seeking to enhance their use of medical experts.
Attendees will gain practical, actionable strategies they can immediately implement to strengthen the attorney-expert relationship and improve case outcomes.
Speaker
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Tara GodoyBSN RN CFNTara Godoy is a Certified Forensic Nurse and has been working with Criminal and Civil Attorneys for over 10 years. She has a BS in Nursing from the University of Southern California and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through consulting and testimony she has assisted both the prosecution and the defense in obtaining an honest and fair resolution in hundreds of criminal cases. Along with her nursing staff and physician contractors, Godoy Medical Forensics has consulted on over 1500 cases nationwide and has worked at both the federal and state levels. Tara has been asked to present for national organizations such as the NACDL and the NDIA at their Forensics conferences in Las Vegas. Tara’s main areas of expertise are Strangulation and Blunt Force Trauma, but testimony is also offered on other cases where traumatic injuries occur or medical record analysis is needed.
