Discuss a Case
For attorneys who want to discuss a potential case, ask about services, or determine whether this expertise is appropriate for the case.
Discuss a CaseForensic DNA Expert Witness for South Carolina Defense Counsel
Paul F. Meeh, Forensic DNA Consultant
A former SLED senior DNA analyst with 13+ years inside the state crime laboratory, giving defense attorneys an independent, objective read on the prosecution's DNA evidence, before it decides your client's case.
- 13+ years as a Senior Forensic Scientist in DNA Analysis and Serology at SLED
- Qualified and testified as an expert witness in DNA analysis and serology in state and federal courts
- Validated and implemented the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix at SLED
- Forensic casework performed under ANAB ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation
Three Ways to Contact Paul
Choose the option that fits where you are. All three keep the existing phone and email options available, and none of them asks for confidential case materials.
Request a Free DNA Assessment
A preliminary assessment of a DNA report, not a full independent case review and not a guarantee that an issue will be identified.
Request a Free DNA AssessmentRetain a DNA Expert
For attorneys who have already decided they want to retain an independent forensic DNA expert. See the engagement process and how retention starts.
Retain a DNA ExpertThe State's DNA Report Looks Definitive. It Usually Isn't.
The prosecution's DNA report arrives looking airtight. Clean conclusions. Likelihood ratios in the millions. Language that suggests the science has spoken.
But a lab report is not the evidence. It is the analyst's summary of the evidence. Behind every conclusion sits a chain of decisions: how the mixture was interpreted, how many contributors were assumed, how degradation and stochastic effects were handled, whether the statistical model was applied the way it was validated. If any of those decisions were wrong, the numbers that follow are wrong too.
Most defense attorneys never see that chain. The report gives you conclusions; the underlying data stays with the lab. Probabilistic genotyping systems like STRmix and TrueAllele have made this worse, not better. The statistics are complex, the software is a black box to anyone who did not run it, and deadlines do not wait while you teach yourself mixture deconvolution.
So the strongest piece of the state's case goes unexamined. Not because you missed something, but because no one on your side has read the raw data with an independent eye.
That is what an independent DNA consultant does. You send the report. You get an honest, objective answer to the one question that matters: is this DNA evidence vulnerable, or is it solid?
The Former State Analyst Advantage
Most criminal defense DNA experts review DNA evidence from the outside. I performed it from the inside.
For thirteen years I was a Senior Forensic Scientist in DNA Analysis and Serology at SLED, working cases from evidence screening and serology through extraction, quantification, amplification, capillary electrophoresis, and interpretation of single-source and complex mixture profiles, all under ANAB ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. I qualified and testified as an expert witness in DNA analysis and serology in state and federal courts. I validated and implemented STRmix for the state laboratory.
That experience changes what an independent review can find. I know how state labs actually operate: how SOPs are written, how validations are run, where analysts cut corners under deadline, and which mistakes get buried in bench notes rather than disclosed in reports. I know what a defensible analysis looks like because I was held to that standard for thirteen years.
Independence is the other half of the advantage. I am no longer with the state, and I work for the defense. My review has no stake in the original conclusion. If the evidence is reliable, I will say so. If it is not, I will show you exactly where it fails, in language you can take to a motion hearing or a jury.
Paul holds a Certificate in Forensic Genetic Genealogy from the University of New Haven, a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences / Molecular Biology from the University of South Carolina, and a Bachelor's degree in Biology from USC Columbia.
The Science Behind the Review
Paul Meeh did not start in a courtroom. He started in a research laboratory, and the record shows it.
At the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, he worked on the genomics of colorectal cancer and on the immune system's response to leukemia. He is first author on two peer-reviewed papers from that period, a co-author on two more, and a named inventor on a published patent application assigned to the University of South Carolina.
That background is why his case reviews read the way they do. He has generated sequencing data, built statistical classifiers, and published on the strength and limits of genetic evidence. When he challenges a laboratory's statistic, he is not borrowing someone else's argument. He has done the underlying science himself.
Selected publications
Meeh PF, King M, O'Brien RL, Muga S, Buckhaults P, Neuberg R, Lamb LS Jr. Characterization of the gammadelta T cell response to acute leukemia. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy. 2006;55(9):1072-1080. doi.org/10.1007/s00262-005-0094-6
Sjoblom T, Jones S, Wood LD, et al. The consensus coding sequences of human breast and colorectal cancers. Science. 2006;314(5797):268-274. doi.org/10.1126/science.1133427
Farrell CL, Crimm H, Meeh P, et al. Somatic mutations to CSMD1 in colorectal adenocarcinomas. Cancer Biology and Therapy. 2008;7(4):609-613. PubMed 18614856
Meeh PF, Farrell CL, Croshaw R, et al. A gene expression classifier of node-positive colorectal cancer. Neoplasia. 2009;11(10):1074-1083. PubMed 19794966
Patent application
Buckhaults P, Farrell CL, Meeh PF, Croshaw RL. Gene Mutation Profiling of CSMD1. U.S. Patent Application Publication US20090246789A1, published October 1, 2009. Assigned to the University of South Carolina. Google Patents
Forensic DNA Services for Defense Counsel
Independent forensic DNA case review for South Carolina criminal defense attorneys, public defenders, and indigent defense counsel. Every engagement is objective. If the evidence is solid, you will hear that too, so you can plan accordingly.
01
Free Initial Report Assessment
Your low-risk starting point. Send the lab report by email and get an experienced, independent read on what the prosecution's DNA evidence actually shows, whether anything about the mixture interpretation or conclusions looks questionable, and whether the case is worth a deeper review. No cost, no obligation, no pressure to engage further.
02
Independent DNA Case Review
A full technical review of the state's forensic DNA evidence in your case: the laboratory report, the electropherograms, quantification data, bench notes, and the probabilistic genotyping inputs and outputs. You get a clear, plain-language accounting of what the evidence supports, where its limits lie, and which questions matter for your strategy.
03
STRmix and Probabilistic Genotyping Analysis
As a STRmix expert witness who validated and implemented the software inside a state crime lab, I evaluate whether the probabilistic genotyping analysis was performed correctly: number-of-contributor assumptions, degradation parameters, mixture weights, drop-out and drop-in evaluations, and the likelihood ratios themselves. If the model was misapplied or the results overstated, you will know exactly where and why.
04
Deep-Dive Bench Note Audits
Review of the complete case file, not just the report: collection and storage procedures, extraction and amplification records, thermal cycler logs, controls and blanks, contamination logs, and quality assurance records. Protocol departures, contamination events, and documentation gaps show up here, and each one is a fact you can use.
05
Trial Preparation and Expert Testimony
Case consultation on DNA strategy, written opinions for motions and hearings, cross-examination preparation for the state's DNA analyst, and clear, scientifically rigorous expert testimony for judges and juries. A former SLED analyst who testified in state and federal courts, explaining complex DNA science the way a jury can follow and a judge can credit.
Not sure whether your case needs a full review? Start with the Free Initial Report Assessment.
Ready to make contact? Discuss a Case, Request a Free DNA Assessment, or Retain a DNA Expert.
Free Resources for South Carolina Defense Attorneys
Practical, attorney-focused downloads, written from inside the laboratory. Built for the attorneys who will call later, and for the ones who just need answers now.
How to Get Your DNA Expert Funded by the Court
A practical guide for South Carolina defense attorneys
Read full guide
How to Get Your DNA Expert Funded by the Court
A practical guide for South Carolina defense attorneys
In South Carolina, indigent defendants have a right to state-funded expert assistance, but the funding has to be secured the right way: the ex parte motion, the funding order before the expert starts, the SCCID voucher process. This guide walks through each step so your expert funding holds up when the case needs it.
How to Get Your DNA Expert Funded by the Court
A practical guide for South Carolina defense attorneys
In many criminal cases, DNA evidence is the centerpiece of the prosecution, and the part of the case the defense understands least. An independent DNA expert can find limitations, alternative explanations, and reliability problems in the state's analysis. In South Carolina, indigent defendants have a constitutional and statutory right to state-funded expert assistance. Here is how to secure it.
1
Know the legal basis.
In Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68 (1985), the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that an indigent defendant is entitled to state-funded expert assistance when the expert's subject is a significant factor at trial. Ake itself concerned a psychiatrist, and courts have applied its principle across disciplines. In South Carolina, funding runs through S.C. Code § 17-3-50: subsection (B) provides that upon an ex parte finding that expert services are reasonably necessary, the court authorizes counsel to obtain them and orders payment from the Office of Indigent Defense, capped at $500. Subsection (C) permits payment above that cap only if the court certifies, in a written order with specific findings of fact, both that the higher payment is necessary to provide compensation adequate to ensure effective assistance of counsel and that the services were reasonably and necessarily incurred. One caption note from SCCID's drafting guidelines: include "AIKEN v. BYARS" in the caption only if yours is an Aiken-implicated case, meaning a juvenile life-without-parole resentencing matter. Otherwise, leave it out.
2
Get the funding order BEFORE the expert starts.
This is the rule that matters most: the court must authorize funding before the expert is hired. If prior written approval is not obtained, no fees will be paid, no exceptions. Start the funding process as soon as you decide you need DNA review, and tell your expert the engagement begins when the order is signed.
3
File an ex parte motion and proposed order.
File an ex parte motion with a proposed order (or a proposed order signed "I So Move"), and ask that it be filed under seal to protect defense strategy. The motion should include: the expert's name and the type of expert retained; the expert's background, education, and experience (attach the CV); a description of the work to be performed; the requested hourly rate and the estimated total cost; and an explanation of why the services are reasonable and necessary, and why the request exceeds the $500 statutory cap.
4
Get your expert's materials early.
The motion requires the expert's credentials and rate up front, so contact your expert before you file. A good expert will get you a CV and rate sheet the same day. (Need one? Contact Paul F. Meeh, CV and rate sheet provided same-day for your funding motion: (803) 312-5504, paulfmeeh@gmail.com.)
5
What the order should say.
Ask the court to include: the authorized hourly rate and total amount; a finding that the funding is reasonable and necessary; a requirement that counsel seek prior court approval before exceeding the authorized amount; and direction to submit vouchers under SCCID's Voucher Payment Policy.
6
Upload the signed order within 15 days.
Counsel must upload a copy of the signed funding order through the SCCID website within 15 days of signature. Calendar it.
7
How the expert invoices.
The expert bills in tenths of an hour, with the date, task description, and time for each task, at least monthly. SCCID pays through the defender's office. Keep the initial authorization modest, around $3,000 (roughly 20 hours) fits SCCID's typical patterns, and seek a supplemental order if the case needs more.
8
Questions?
Questions about vouchers or payment go to the SCCID voucher payment office. SCCID publishes official drafting guidelines and a CLE deck on requesting experts at sccid.sc.gov.
Download: How to Get Your DNA Expert Funded by the Court
Court-ready templates (adapt to your case):
Download Motion Template (Word)Download Attorney Affidavit Template (Word)Download Necessity Checklist (Word)
DNA Discovery Checklist for Defense Attorneys
What your expert needs to review the state's DNA evidence
Read full guide
DNA Discovery Checklist for Defense Attorneys
What your expert needs to review the state's DNA evidence
A lab report alone is never enough for a meaningful independent review. This checklist lists every item to request from the solicitor before your expert starts: the complete case file, electropherograms, quantification data, amplification logs, STRmix and TrueAllele inputs and outputs, SOPs, and quality assurance records. Request it early. Gaps in the file are themselves informative.
DNA Discovery Checklist for Defense Attorneys
What your expert needs to review the state's DNA evidence
A lab report alone is never enough for a thorough independent review. The report gives you the lab's conclusions; the underlying data shows whether those conclusions are supported. Before retaining an expert, or as soon as you do, request the complete DNA discovery packet below.
1
Complete laboratory report and case file
all analytical reports, chain-of-custody forms, internal laboratory tracking logs, and analyst notes.
2
Electropherograms
raw electronic data files (e.g., .hid) and printed or PDF electropherograms for every evidence item, every known reference sample, and all associated blanks and controls (extraction blanks, amplification controls, allelic ladders).
3
Quantification data
quantitation results (Qubit or real-time PCR) for all extracts, including input volumes and dilutions.
4
Amplification and thermal cycling logs
the amplification kits used, target template amounts, and thermal cycler logs.
5
Probabilistic genotyping inputs and outputs
for TrueAllele, STRmix, or any other system: the electronic case files and configuration parameters; run logs, settings, mixture weights, degradation parameters, and number-of-contributor assumptions; and the complete analytical and administrative reports, including match statistics (likelihood ratios) and drop-out / drop-in evaluations.
6
Laboratory SOPs
the standard operating procedures in effect at the time of testing for DNA extraction, quantification, amplification, and capillary electrophoresis, plus the laboratory's local guidelines and validation documents for its probabilistic genotyping implementation.
7
Quality assurance and contamination records
contamination logs, freezer and refrigerator logs, staff proficiency test records, and any corrective-action reports or audit findings for the laboratory covering the testing window.
Gaps in the file are themselves informative, missing data can reveal reliability problems. Send the complete packet to your expert as early as possible; the sooner review begins, the sooner you know what the DNA really shows. Questions about DNA discovery in your case? Contact Paul F. Meeh, Forensic DNA Consultant, (803) 312-5504, paulfmeeh@gmail.com.
No email wall, no obligation. If the DNA in your case looks questionable when you read these, request a Free Initial Report Assessment.
How It Works
1
Submit the report.
Send the prosecution's lab report by email. Your Free Initial Report Assessment starts from there.
2
Get the initial readout.
You receive an honest, objective read: what the DNA evidence shows, whether anything about it looks vulnerable, and whether a deeper review is warranted. Plain language, no jargon, no sales pitch.
3
Build the defense strategy.
If the evidence is worth challenging, choose the level of engagement your case needs: full case review, bench note audit, written opinion, cross-examination preparation, or expert testimony.
Retain a DNA Expert
For attorneys who have already decided to retain an independent forensic DNA expert. Paul's background, services, and resources are on this page in About, Services, and Resources. No new qualifications, fees, or testimony history are stated here.
1. Discuss retention
Use the Discuss a Case form above, or call (803) 312-5504, or email paulfmeeh@gmail.com. State that you want to retain Paul, and include the trial date or next court date if you know it.
2. Get the funding motion materials
Paul provides his CV and fee schedule privately, same day, for your ex parte funding motion. Rates are not published on this website; they are provided to the hiring attorney for the motion.
3. Get the funding order first
For indigent defense work, the court must authorize funding before the expert starts. Upload the signed funding order through SCCID within 15 days of signature.
4. Review and invoice
Paul reviews the DNA evidence, bills in tenths of an hour with date, task, and time for each task, and SCCID pays through the defender's office. Seek a supplemental order before exceeding the authorized amount.
Put an Independent DNA Expert on Your Case.
DNA evidence should be tested, not just read. If the prosecution's DNA case against your client has never been reviewed by an independent analyst, now is the time. Request your Free Initial Report Assessment: attach the lab report or describe the DNA evidence in your case, include your name, office, and the best way to reach you, and you will receive an independent read from a former SLED senior DNA analyst. No cost, no obligation.