Membership in the Jurisprudence Section

Academy Requirements

Both at the time of application and at the time the application is being considered for approval, an applicant for Student Affiliate status must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that would support a forensic science career accepted by the section to which application is being made.  Each Student Affiliate must certify eligibility annually with the AAFS.

Student Affiliate status may be maintained for two consecutive calendar years beginning at the end of the calendar year within which graduation occurs. During the two-year period, once employment in a forensic discipline recognized by a section of the AAFS is attained, Student Affiliates will be required to upgrade their membership to Trainee Affiliate or Associate Member.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Student Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
2. Applicant must be enrolled in a law school program leading to a law degree or in an approved "Law Reading" program leading to qualification for taking the Bar examination.

Academy Requirements

Trainee Affiliate status is limited to persons who have completed the educational requirements, but not the experience requirements for Associate Member in the section to which application is being made. Both at the time of application and at the time the application is being considered for approval, applicants for Trainee Affiliate status must be actively working toward completion of the experience requirements by participating in a training program or employment that supports a forensic science career accepted by the section. Each Trainee Affiliate must certify eligibility annually.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Trainee Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
2. Have less than two (2) years of experience; and
3. Applicant must have been awarded a law degree or otherwise be qualified to take the Bar examination or have a license in good standing to practice law, and be fulfilling the experience requirement for Associate Membership in the Jurisprudence Section.

Academy Requirements

Academy membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. who are actively engaged in the field of forensics sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic sciences, or
2. who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner, and
3. who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for, and

4. who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

    

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Associate Member must be fulfilled; and
2. Applicant must have received a law degree at least two (2) years prior to the date of application for Associate Member; or
3. Have had a license in good standing to practice law for at least two (2) years immediately prior to application for Associate Member; or
4. Have received a law degree at least one (1) year prior to the date of application for Associate Member and have participated in a minimum of one (1) program of the Academy prior to becoming an Associate Member. Participation may include the presentation of papers, acting as a moderator or panelist of a program, or serving as an active member of a committee of the Jurisprudence Section; or
5. Have a license in good standing to practice law at least one (1) year immediately prior to the date of application for Associate Member and have participated in a minimum of one (1) program of the Academy prior to becoming an Associate Member. Participation may include the presentation of papers, acting as a moderator or panelist of a program, or serving as an active member of a committee of the Jurisprudence Section; or
6. Have received a law degree or a license in good standing to practice law during the year immediately prior to the conference at which Associate Member is considered and have participated in a minimum of one (1) program of the Academy as a Student Affiliate; or
7. Have completed such other academic and professional achievements, both in law and in forensic science, in a foreign country over a period of not less than six (6) years deemed to be substantially equivalent to the requirements of the Academy by the section chair and secretary at the time of the application; and
8. Two (2) letters of reference. References are not required to be members of the AAFS, but must be able to comment knowledgeably on the applicant's qualifications.

Academy Requirements

The criteria for promotion are applicable to all members seeking promotion to Member or to Fellow. Applications must be received and completed by October 1 to be considered for approval at the AAFS annual conference.

The criteria for original membership, as stated in the bylaws for the AAFS Basic Requirements, still apply to promotions:

Membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. Who are actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic science, or
2. Who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner; and
3. Who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for; and
4. Who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

 In addition, the following criteria for service to the AAFS and to forensic science in general are used:

1. Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) conference is required for advancement from Associate Member to Member and one additional conference for advancement from Member to Fellow. However, if exigencies such as workload requirements, finances, or ill health preclude such attendance, this will be taken into consideration. It is AAFS policy that members who exhibit at the annual conference must pay the conference registration fee, if the exhibitor wishes to receive continuing education credit or count the conference attendance toward fulfilling a requirement for membership promotion.
2. Service in the general area of forensic sciences. This is intended to recognize the individual who performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities but who, in so doing, is unable to excel in other endeavors.
3. Service in the area of forensic science research. Any contribution which the individual has made since his/her admission to the AAFS, or latest advancement will be given consideration.
4. Service in the area of forensic science education or training. Any effort (either by formal or informal curricula) to disseminate the scientific information which the individual has acquired throughout his/her career will be considered.

Section Requirements

While serving as an Associate Member, the applicant must:

1. Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
2. Have a license in good standing to practice law, or have full-time status as a professor on the law faculty of any university; and
3. Obtain one (1) recommendation from a Member or Fellow of the AAFS, and
4. Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS. The conference at which the title of Associate Member was conferred, if attended, may be counted; however, the conference at which the title of Member is being considered shall not be counted; and
5. Participate in one (1) program of the AAFS at an annual conference by presentation of papers, acting as a panelist of a program, or serving as a moderator, or serving as an active member or chair of a committee of the Jurisprudence Section; and
6. Attend one (1) Jurisprudence Section Business Meeting since becoming an Associate Member and prior to application to be promoted to Member.

Academy Requirements 

The criteria for promotion are applicable to all members seeking promotion to Member or to Fellow. Applications must be received and completed by October 1 to be considered for approval at the AAFS annual conference.

The criteria for original membership, as stated in the bylaws for the AAFS Basic Requirements, still apply to promotions:

Membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. Who are actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic science, or
2. Who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner; and
3. Who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for; and
4. Who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

 In addition, the following criteria for service to the AAFS and to forensic science in general are used:

1. Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) conference is required for advancement from Associate Member to Member and one additional conference for advancement from Member to Fellow. However, if exigencies such as workload requirements, finances, or ill health preclude such attendance, this will be taken into consideration. It is AAFS policy that members who exhibit at the annual conference must pay the conference registration fee, if the exhibitor wishes to receive continuing education credit or count the conference attendance toward fulfilling a requirement for membership promotion.
2. Service in the general area of forensic sciences. This is intended to recognize the individual who performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities but who, in so doing, is unable to excel in other endeavors.
3. Service in the area of forensic science research. Any contribution which the individual has made since his/her admission to the AAFS, or latest advancement will be given consideration.
4. Service in the area of forensic science education or training. Any effort (either by formal or informal curricula) to disseminate the scientific information which the individual has acquired throughout his/her career will be considered.

Section Requirements

While serving as a Member, the applicant must:

1. Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
2. Have a license in good standing to practice law, or have full-time status as a professor on the law faculty of any university; and
3. Obtain two (2) recommendations by Fellows of the Jurisprudence Section of the AAFS; and
4. Register and attend a minimum of one (1) conference of the AAFS. Neither the conference at which the applicant becomes a Member nor the conference at which promotion to Fellow is being considered shall be counted in fulfilling the requirement; and
5. Participate in one (1) program of the AAFS at an annual conference by presentation of papers, acting as a panelist of a program, or serving as an active member or chair of a committee of the Jurisprudence Section; and
6. Attend one (1) Jurisprudence Section Business Meeting since becoming a Member and prior to application to be promoted to Fellow.