Panel discussion to focus on legal, ethical aspects of sexual assault cases

Advocates and legal experts will discuss legal and ethical issues of sexual assault cases at a public event set for 6:00 p.m. on April 15 in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. CLE credits are available for this event, which will be live in the Greg Sutliff Auditorium of the Lewis Katz Building in University Park and simulcast to 029, Lewis Katz Hall in Carlisle, PA.

“Sexual assault is one of the most common crimes in the United States and yet is chronically underreported,” said Jill Engle, director of the Family Law Clinic at Penn State Law and a scholar the rights of domestic violence victims, economic rights of divorced women, and international domestic violence issues. “This event will give lawyers, law students, and advocates a chance to learn about how these cases progress in the court system from the people whose careers focus on sexual assault prosecution, defense, and advocacy.”

Confirmed speakers include: 

• Sean McGraw, defense attorney and former prosecutor 
• David Kaye, professor of law at Penn State and an expert on DNA, statistics, and forensic evidence 
• Audra Hixson, assistant director of the Center for Women Students at Penn State 
• Spencer Peters, a detective with the Penn State University Police

Engle will moderate. A reception will follow. 

This event is sponsored by the Centre County Bar Association, the Penn State Center for Women Students, and the Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs. Registration is available online.

The Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board has approved this program for 1.5 hours of substantive law, practice and procedure credit and .5 hours of ethics, substance abuse, and professionalism credit. Attorneys seeking credit in states other than Pennsylvania will be provided with a uniform certificate of attendance to self-report. The certificate will be mailed after the program.

Register now