Paralegal & Investigator Skills Workshop
Analyzing Documents
Pamela Bishop, Paralegal Investigator, Office of the Federal Public Defender, E.D. VA (Richmond)
Melissa Nitpicker Kupferberg MDFL Pamela Minutia Master Bishop EDVA
Mostpeople knowhowto getrecords.
Competency Insanity
Timeline Witnesses& Codefendant s GuiltPhase Sentencing
CommonObjectivesfor DocumentReview
UnderstandInformationContainedin theDocuments OrganizeandCondensethe InformationinaUseableFormat IdentifyPotentialLeads DetermineImpactonGuilt/Mitigation Theories
BecomeaNitPicker
Embrace the minutia Pieces make the whole puzzle Seemingly small/ unimportant details sometimes become crucial
ToolsforDocumentAnalysis Databases
CaseMap Summation Concordance
Spreadsheets Timelines Charts Memos
Database
TrackGovtDiscoveryand DefenseObtained Documents EstablishChronologies KeepTrackofPlayersand Relationships
Spreadsheets
Timelines
Charts
InvestigativeDocuments
DEA6 InvestigativeReport DEA6A Page2+oftheReport DEA7 EvidenceInventory ATF 3120 InvestigativeReport
FBI302 InvestigativeReport
MemorandumofInvestigation
MOI MemorandumofInterview SAR SpecialAgentsReport
SP110 InvestigativeReport
AnatomyofaLEReport
LabReports
Familiarizeyourself withevidencelabeling procedures...
Crimesceneevidence Item# SignificantfromItem# assignednumberatlab Significantitemrendersseveral partsofsameitem more#s
Multiplesubmission VerifyIDnumbers withseizureinventory
CrimeScene#6 LabNumberQ20 Q201,Q202
lostintranslation blacksock forablackglove
Familiareyourselfwiththeevidencelabeling procedure Crimesceneevidence Item# Significantfromthatcollection Q# #12 toLab #Q12 partsof severalstainsonsingleitem
FinancialDocuments
Loaded with useful information
BankRelatedFinancialDocuments
Account information
- Signature cards - Application form - Bank Statements and Offsets
Currency Reporting Documents
- Currency Transaction Reports (CTR) - Form 8300 - Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) - Warning Letters - Account Closure Letters
Withdrawals &Debits
Deposits& Credits
Checks Paid
ThePaperTrailofaFinancialTransaction
BankStatementsandOffsets
DepositTickets Cashin/Cashouttickets Cancelledchecks Wiretransfers Tellertapes WithdrawalTickets CashiersChecks ATMphotos
Teller Number
Bank Branch Date&Time
Money Source
Reasonfor Payment
Besidestheflowof money... Whylookat financialrecords?
LifestyleandPatternsofConduct
BankRecords
WitnessCorroboration
Momsays... No,no,....hedidntdoit,hewaswithme andIcanproveit...
Actualdateofthetransaction
Whatarewe missing?
Transaction Summary
TimelineofEvents...
UsefulWebsites:
OfficeoftheComptrolleroftheCurrency: www.occ.treas.gov/handbook/bsa.pdf FinancialCrimesEnforcementNetwork: www.fincin.gov InternalRevenueService,U.S.Treasury: www.irs.gov IRSFormsandPublications DOJ AssetForfeitureandMoneyLaunderingSection www.usdoj.gov/criminal/afmls DOJ ExecutiveOfficeforUnitedStatesAttorneys www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/foia_reading_room Publishes USABulletin
Medical MentalHealthRecords
AnalysisofMedical/Mental HealthRecords
Understandhowtoreadtherecordsand
whattolookfor Developacomprehensivemedical/ psychiatricchronology Identifyotherpotentialrecords/other potentialleads Focusonthelargerpicture
TypesofMedicalRecords
Ambulance Call Sheet Emergency Department Records (ED/ER) Hospital Face Sheets Admission Reports History & Physical Reports Procedure Reports Lab Reports Nursing Flow Sheets Doctors Orders Discharge Summary Outpatient Records
AmbulanceCallSheets
NormallyfoundinERchartdocuments Alwaysprovideschronologyofpriorevents, includingERarrival Usuallyindicateswhetherpoliceassistanceatscene Goodsourceof investigativeleads
The Face Sheet
DontBeIntimidated bythe
TypedReportsCanGuideYou
Principal Procedure Performed Clinical Course
Mentally slow from rat poisoning at child-hood
CommonAbbreviations
+ C CC H/O S/P A/O SOB GSW ETOH AH, VH Positive, plus, present Negative, absent, minus With Chief complaint (most common use) History of Status/post Alert/awake & oriented (x3, x4) Shortness of Breath Gun Shot Wound Alcohol/alcoholic Auditory Hallucinations, Visual Hallucinations
GainanUnderstandingof YourClientsAilments
www.medlineplus.gov: Medical, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical Information from the National Library of Medicine; www.webmd.com: Medical, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical information from a variety of sources; www.psych.org: Information from the American Psychiatric Association. www.medilexicon.com (medical & pharmaceutical abbreviations) PsychCentral.com
InherentDifficultiesinERs
LackofPriorRelationship BetweenDoctorand Patient HistoricalInformation LimitedtoPatient SelfReport LanguageandEducational Barriers
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder 5. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 8. Mood Disorder, NOS 11. PTSD
2. Major Depressive Disorder 6. Attention Deficit Disorder
3. MDD with Psychotic Features 7. Conduct Disorder
4. Substance Induced Psychotic Disorder with Hallucinations
9. Methamphetamine Induced Mood Disorder 12. Psychotic Disorder NOS
10. Antisocial Personality Disorder 14. Paranoid Schizophrenia
13. Bipolar
15. Psychotic Disorder Due to Severe Head Trauma
SchoolRealities
Generaleducationteachers Educationaljargon TerminologyandRecordsofthetime Significantnumberofkidswithdisabilitiesor mildMRarenotidentified
TypesofSchoolRecords
Transcripts
Healthrecords Anecdotalinformation Psychoeducationalevaluations/IEP Disciplinary/behavioral
SchoolTranscripts
Grades/credits
Testscores Attendance Parentcommunications Indicationsofspecialeducation placement
