Post-Conviction DNA Testing

In some states like Oregon, Utah, California and Texas, there are laws that recognize that science changes. Evidence that used to be considered definitive may no longer meet today’s standards from a scientific standpoint. When advancements in forensic science supersede prior methods, individuals may have the right to revisit and retest evidence.

DNA technology has advanced at a quick pace since its breakthrough a few decades ago. Sample size, degradation or mixture makeup have all presented challenges with DNA testing, but now those challenges can produce clearer results with newer testing methods. Profiles can be developed from extremely small amounts of biological material. These advancements create an opportunity to re-examine evidence with greater sensitivity and precision.

At the same time, it is important to understand what DNA can, and cannot, do. DNA can help identify or exclude individuals, but it cannot, on its own, explain how or why an event occurred. Forensic results are one piece of a larger evidentiary framework that must be interpreted carefully and in context.

One of the most important functions of DNA testing is exclusion. The ability to reliably determine who is not a contributor can be just as critical as identifying who may be.

Post-conviction DNA testing can play a meaningful role when questions remain after a conviction. In some cases, biological evidence was never tested. In others, earlier testing was constrained by the technology available at the time, the condition of the sample or the complexity of the DNA mixture.

At Sorenson Forensics, we work with attorneys, innocence organizations and agencies seeking reliable, defensible DNA results from challenging evidence.

How Sorenson Forensics can help

We support post-conviction case review through:

• Evaluation of previously tested or untested biological evidence
• DNA testing strategies tailored to degraded, limited or complex samples
• STR and Y-STR analysis, serology, and advanced interpretation approaches
• Clear, defensible reporting for attorneys and case stakeholders
• Independent work grounded in validated forensic methods

Talk with our team

If you are reviewing a post-conviction matter and want to understand whether additional DNA testing may be possible, Sorenson Forensics can help assess the evidence and outline next steps.