AGACL Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation - 46th Annual Conference Agenda - 2026

Sep 13, 2026

Upload by Gloria

AGACL Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation’s 46th Annual Conference agenda outlines a multi-day program from Tuesday, August 4 to Friday, August 7, 2026, with sessions covering registration and welcome, advocacy and courtroom practice topics, and reception events. The agenda includes ethics and AI use considerations in prosecution, mitigation and mental health evidence in death penalty cases, capital voir dire, appellate case preparation, and SCOTUS best practices. It also features breakout tracks on methods of execution, FBI CAST analysis, victim next of kin, and trials, plus general sessions on fetal alcohol syndrome and the debate over capital punishment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

46th Annual Conference Agenda

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Friday, August 7, 2026

AGACL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS IN CAPITAL LITIGATION'S 46TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AGENDA TUESDAY. AUGUST 4. 2026 Eastern Daylight Time • 11:00-1:30 REGISTRATION • 1:30-1:45 WELCOME • 1:45-2:45 THE BEST OFTHE BEST Hon. Rick Hubbard Solicitor South Carolina’s 11th Judicial Circuit • 2:45-3:00 BREAK • 3:00 – 4:30 THE EVOLUTION OF ADVOCACY John Gillespie • 6:00-8:00 RECEPTION WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 5. 2026 • 8:30-10:00 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OFAI USE IN PROSECUTION (ETHICS) The Hon. Todd Hayes Solicitor General Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit (Georgia) • 10:00 – 10:15 BREAK • 10:30 – 12:00 MITIGATION, MALINGERING, AND THE MARGINS: A PROSECUTOR’S GUIDE TO MENAL HEALTH EVIDENCE IN DEATH PENALTY CASES • • • • 12:00-1:30 1:30 – 3:00 2:45-3:00 3:00-5:00 Dr. Matthew Norman. MD Forensic Psychiatrist Atlanta, Georgia LUNCH (On Your Own) CAPITAL VOIR DIRE Jacob Putnam Criminal District Attorney Smith County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office BREAK BULLET-PROOFING YOUR CASE FOR APPEAL Bill Bilderback Senior Assistant Attorney General Statewide Capital Case Coordinator California Department of Justice THURSDAY. AUGUST 6. 2026 Appellate Breakout • 8:30-10:00 METHODS OF EXECUTION Sabrina Graham (Lethal Injection) Senior Assistant Attorney General Georgia Attorney General’s Office Polly Kenny (Nitrogen Hypoxia) Division Chief, Capital Litigation Division Office of the Attorney General, State of Alabama Melody Brown (Firing Squad) Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General Office of the South Carolina Attorney General • 10:00-10:15 BREAK • 10:15-11:15 SCOTUS BEST PRACTICES Dan Schweitzer Director and Chief Counsel, Center for Supreme Court Advocacy National Association of Attorneys General • 10:15-12:00 ROUNDTABLE Ronald Eisenberg Senior Appellate Counsel Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office • 12:00-1:30 LUNCH (On Your Own) Trial Breakout • 8:30-9:30 FBI CAST ANALYSIS Bobby Blythe Special Agent Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) Federal Bureau of Investigation James Atkinson, Assistant State Attorney Targeted Prosecution Division Chief State Attorney’s Office, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida • 9:30-9:45 BREAK • 9:45-10:45 VICTIM NEXT OF KIN Kirsten Valenzuela Capital Litigation Bureau Chief Maricopa County (Arizona) Attorney’s Office • 10:45-11:00 BREAK • 11:00-12:00 ROUNDTABLE Ashley Rich Supernumerary District Attorney Mobile County (Alabama) District Attorney’s Office Lisa Tanner Division Chief (retired) Texas Attorney General’s Office • 12:00-1:30 LUNCH (On Your Own) THURSDAY. AUGUST 6. 2026 General Session • 1:30-2:15 FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME Roe Wilson Assistant District Attorney (retired) Harris County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office • 2:15-2:30 BREAK • 2:30-3:30 THE MYTH OF INNOCENCE: FIGHTING FOR HONESTY ON THE DEBATE OVER CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Joshua Marquis Special Deputy District Attorney Linn County (Oregon) District Attorney’s Office • 3:30 – 3:45 BREAK • 3:45-5:15 EXTRANEOUS OFFENSES Lisa Tanner Division Chief (retired) Texas Attorney General’s Office FRIDAY. AUGUST 7. 2026 • 9:00-11:00 THE KOHBERGER CASE Ashley Jennings Senior Deputy Prosecutor Latah County (Idaho) Prosecutor’s Office

FAQs

What are the main events scheduled on Tuesday, August 4, 2026?

The agenda schedules registration (11:00-1:30), welcome (1:30-1:45), a session titled “The Best of the Best” (1:45-2:45), a break (2:45-3:00), and “The Evolution of Advocacy” (3:00-4:30), followed by a reception (6:00-8:00).

Which topics are covered on Wednesday, August 5, 2026?

Wednesday includes “Ethical Considerations of AI Use in Prosecution,” “Mitigation, Malingering, and the Margins,” a lunch break, “Capital Voir Dire,” “Bullet-Proofing Your Case for Appeal,” and additional timed segments and breaks across the afternoon.

What sessions are featured on Thursday and Friday?

Thursday includes appellate breakout topics like methods of execution and SCOTUS best practices, plus trial breakout sessions such as FBI CAST analysis and victim next of kin, and a general session set including fetal alcohol syndrome and the debate over capital punishment. Friday highlights “The Kohberger Case” in a morning block.

Sep 13, 2026

Upload by Gloria