NDAA's 2027 Investigator Academy: Building the Prosecution-Ready Case
Courtyard by Marriott Dallas Downtown/Reunion District
310 South Houston StreetDallas, TX 75202
United States
NDAA's 2027 Investigator Academy
Building the Prosecution-Ready Case
April 5-8, 2027 | Dallas, TX
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An investigation can produce a compelling account of what happened while leaving critical questions unanswered. A witness statement may support more than one explanation. Several reports may repeat information from the same original source. Evidence that could change a case assessment may sit outside the primary file, remain with a partner agency, or never reach the prosecutor reviewing the case. Experienced investigators must determine what the record actually establishes, which conclusions depend on inference, and what further investigation could meaningfully change a decision. That work requires testing competing explanations, developing independent corroboration, evaluation reliability of information, and communicating both the strengths and limitations of the evidence. These decisions become more demanding when cases cross jurisdictions, involve conflicting accounts or digital evidence, or require investigators and prosecutors to coordinate across different responsibilities, authorities, and resources. NDAA's Investigator Academy: Building the Prosecution Ready Case builds upon participants' investigative experience to strengthen the judgment required when investigation, prosecutorial decision-making, and litigation meet. Designed for experienced investigators working in prosecutor offices, law-enforcement agencies, and multidisciplinary partner organizations, the academy provides practical frameworks and applied exercises for developing, testing, and explaining a prosecution-ready case. |
What You Will Do in This ProgramThis program combines targeted instruction, real-case analysis, and a developing case that participants work through across the academy. You will begin with an incomplete record, make an initial assessment, and revisit your decisions as new evidence emerges. Working with peers and faculty, you will test investigative priorities, explain your reasoning, and refine your assessment in response to professional challenges. Throughout the program, you will
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CostMembers: $895 (15% Savings!) Membership is open to anyone who works in a prosecutorial office. |
Eligibility:NDAA is committed to serving prosecutors and the professionals who support the prosecution function. Attendance is limited to prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates, witness coordinators, paralegals in local, state, tribal, federal, and military government attorneys' offices, law enforcement professionals, and other members of the multidisciplinary team who work in or closely with prosecution. If you are not sure about your eligibility, please contact ssencer@ndaajustice.org |
General Questions?
Please contact training@ndaajustice.org.
Registration Options
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Registration Options
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Credits | Price |
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Member
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1.00 (CLE) | $895.00 |
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Non-Member
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1.00 (CLE) | $1,050.00 |
Agenda
| April 5 | |
| 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Registration |
| 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Welcome Reception |
| April 6 | |
| 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM | What Does the Record Actually Establish? Making an Initial Investigative Assessment from an Incomplete Record |
| 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM | When the Case Crosses the Line Jurisdiction, Authority & Multi-Agency Investigation |
| 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM | Networking Break |
| 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM | From Probable Cause to Prosecutable Proof Evidentiary Sufficiency, Competing Hypotheses & Investigative Decision Value |
| 12:15 PM - 1:45 PM | Lunch on Your Own |
| 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM | Advanced Investigative Interviewing Reliability, Memory, Corroboration & Strategic Evidence Use |
| 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM | Networking Break |
| 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM | What Never Made It to the Prosecutor Information Architecture, Disclosure & the Investigative Record |
| 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM | Networking Break |
| 4:45 PM - 5:30 PM | What Would You Do Next? Integrating Evidence, Interviews, Information Flow & Multi-Agency Responsibility |
| April 7 | |
| 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM | Corroboration as Investigative Architecture Building Proof Across Independent Evidence Sources |
| 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM | Networking Break |
| 9:45 AM - 11:00 AM | Working Across the Investigation-Prosecution Interface Aligning Investigative Priorities, Professional Judgment & Case Decisions |
| 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Lunch on Your Own |
| 12:30 PM - 12:45 PM | Walk to The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza |
| 12:45 PM - 1:00 PM | Museum Check-In and Group Assignments |
| 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Dealey Plaza Evidence Lab What Can the Evidence Actually Support? |
| 3:30 PM - 3:45 PM | Walk Back to the Hotel |
| 3:45 PM - 4:00 PM | Networking Break |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | The Evidence You Cannot See Digital, Documentary & Third-Party Evidence |
| April 8 | |
| 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM - 10:05 AM | From Investigative File to Prosecutorial Decision The Case Conference Under Adversarial Scrutiny |
| 10:05 AM - 10:10 AM | Stretch Break |
| 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM | Is The Case Ready? Final Investigative Judgment Capstone |
| 11:00 AM - 11:05 AM | Stretch Break |
| 11:05 AM - 11:35 AM | Make It an Office Practice Building Sustainable Prosecutorial Investigation Systems |
| 11:35 AM - 11:45 AM | Academy Evaluation & Adjournment |
Hotel
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Courtyard by Marriott Dallas Downtown/Reunion District |
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Hotel Rate NDAA has reserved a limited block of rooms for academy attendees. The contracted rate is available for the nights of April 5, 6, and 7, 2027, subject to room availability. |
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Book Your Hotel Reservation For assistance with reservations, contact the hotel at 214-238-6589 and ask about the NDAA room block for the April 2027 Investigator Academy. Confirm that the group rate has been applied before completing your reservation. |
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Reservation Deadline
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Extend Your Stay |
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Parking and Additional Charges
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Check In and Check Out
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How do I request an accommodation?
We want every participant to be able to fully engage in NDAA’s training programs. Please email training@ndaajustice.org with your accommodation request. Our team will work with you to support an accessible and inclusive learning experience.
When should I submit my accommodation request?
Whenever possible, please submit your request:
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Virtual programs: At least three business days before the program.
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In-person programs: At least two weeks before the program.
Advance notice gives us the best opportunity to arrange the necessary supports and services. If you need an accommodation closer to the program date, please contact us. We will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request.
How do I cancel my registration or request a refund?
Please submit your cancellation and refund request in writing to training@ndaajustice.org.
Refund eligibility is based on when NDAA receives your written request, measured from the first day of the event:
| When Your Request Is Received | Refund |
|---|---|
| 30 or more calendar days before the event | Full refund |
| 15–29 calendar days before the event | 75% refund |
| 14 or fewer calendar days before the event | No refund or credit |
| No-show | No refund or credit |
Can someone attend in my place?
Yes. Substitutions are welcome at any time, and you can make the change yourself through the registration process.
If another eligible member of your office will attend in your place, please update your registration with their information so we can prepare for their arrival.
If you need assistance, email training@ndaajustice.org—we’re happy to help.
Where can I find NDAA’s other policies?
Please visit NDAA’s Policies page for additional policies and procedures, including our Code of Conduct.
NDAA reserves the right to update this policy as needed.
For More Information:
Designed For
- Experienced investigators working in prosecutors offices
- Law enforcement investigator whose cases support criminal prosecutor
- Investigators assigned to major crimes, complex cases, or multi-agency investigations
- Prosecutors who work closely with investigators on case development and trial preparation
- Investigative supervisors and prosecution-team leaders
- Investigative analysts and multidisciplinary partners involved in evidence evaluation and case preparation
- Investigators and prosecutors working in smaller offices or agencies with limited specialized resources
Key Topics Include
- Evaluating Incomplete Records and Inherited Case Theories
- Moving from Probable Cause to Prosecution-Ready Proof
- Testing Assumption and Competing Explanations
- Advanced Investigative Interviewing and Information Reliability
- Independent Corroboration and Evidence Mapping
- Finding Critical Information Outside the Primary Case File
- Cross-Jurisdiction Authority and Multi-Agency Coordination
- Prioritizing Digital, Documentary, and Third-Party Evidence
- Strengthening Investigator-Prosecutor Communication
- Communicating Contrary Evidence, Uncertainty, and Case Vulnerabilities
- Defending and Revising Investigative Decisions
- Turning Lessons into Sustainable Office Practices
Take-Home Resources
Participants will leave with practical tools they can adapt to their own investigations, prosecutions, and offices, including:
- Investigative Decision Log
- Prosecutorial Investigator's Stress Test
- Cross-Jurisdiction Framework and Multi-Agency Responsibility Map
- Interview Strategy & Reliability Plan
- Prosecutorial Visibility Map
- Evidence Architecture Map
- Evidence Acquisiton Priority Grid
- Prosecution-Ready Investigative BRIEF
- Final Investigative Decision Memorandum
- 90-Day Prosecutorial Investigation Blue Print