Challenging the Science They Present as Fact

Setra Law Firm, PC examines chain of custody, lab procedures, and forensic assumptions in criminal cases throughout San Antonio to expose unreliable or improperly handled evidence.

Forensic evidence carries weight in court because juries and judges assume it has been tested, handled, and interpreted correctly. In reality, lab reports, toxicology results, DNA analysis, and other forensic techniques are vulnerable to contamination, procedural shortcuts, analyst error, and overconfident conclusions that do not reflect scientific uncertainty.

Setra Law Firm, PC scrutinizes every link in the chain of custody to find weak points in how evidence was collected, labeled, stored, and transferred in San Antonio. Lab procedures are reviewed for compliance with validated methods, and analyst assumptions are separated from what the data actually supports. This includes challenging toxicology reports, DNA results, drug lab findings, and pseudo-scientific techniques presented as reliable when they lack proper validation.

If your case depends on forensic evidence and you want it examined for errors or exaggeration, contact Setra Law Firm, PC to discuss independent review and cross-examination preparation.

What Independent Review Actually Uncovers

Setra Law Firm, PC does not accept lab reports at face value. Each report is reviewed for how samples were handled, who accessed them, how testing was performed, and whether conclusions are supported by the data or reflect analyst interpretation in San Antonio.

Chain of custody errors include improper labeling, gaps in documentation, unclear transfer records, and unsecured storage that allows contamination or tampering. Lab procedure problems include skipped steps, inadequate controls, assumptions about test sensitivity, and failure to account for environmental factors or cross-contamination risk.

Cross-examination preparation focuses on exposing uncertainty rather than simply disagreeing with the analyst. Setra Law Firm, PC prepares questions that highlight missing controls, unexplained results, margin of error, and the difference between validated science and techniques presented as scientific but lacking reliability standards.

Defendants in San Antonio often believe forensic evidence cannot be challenged, but these answers explain where weaknesses appear and how they are exposed in court.

What You Need to Understand About Forensic Evidence

It refers to the documented trail of who collected, handled, stored, and transferred physical evidence from crime scene to courtroom. Gaps or errors in that chain can make evidence unreliable or inadmissible.
What does chain of custody mean in a criminal case?
Setra Law Firm, PC reviews lab reports for procedural errors, unsupported conclusions, and analyst assumptions, then prepares cross-examination that exposes uncertainty and missing controls. Independent experts are used when necessary, but many weaknesses appear in the government's own documentation.
How do you challenge lab results without your own expert?
Validated science follows repeatable methods with known error rates and peer review. Pseudo-science relies on subjective interpretation, unproven techniques, or expert opinion without empirical support.
What is the difference between validated science and pseudo-science?
Why does contamination risk matter in drug or DNA cases?
Contamination can occur during collection, storage, or testing, and it affects results without leaving obvious traces. Setra Law Firm, PC examines handling procedures and lab environments to identify where contamination could have occurred.
Analysts must testify to the methods and conclusions in their reports. If they cannot explain their process, account for uncertainty, or defend their assumptions, that weakens the reliability of the evidence they presented.
What happens if the analyst refuses to answer questions?

After reviewing hundreds of forensic reports in criminal cases, Setra Law Firm, PC knows that independent review replaces blind acceptance and often reveals uncertainty the prosecution does not acknowledge. If your case involves forensic evidence in San Antonio, reach out to discuss scrutiny and cross-examination strategy.