Webinar: Intoxication, Memory and Jury Trials

Hosted

14 Apr 2026, 08:00-14 Apr 2026, 09:30

Webinar

All organisational and individual members of the IAP are invited to join us for a webinar organised by the International Association of Prosecutors Global Training Academy.

Date/time: Tuesday 14 April 2026, 18:00 - 19:00 hrs NSW / 08:00 – 09:00 hrs CET

Speaker: Stephanie Lind, Crown Prosecutor, Crown Prosecutors’ Chambers, New South Wales, Australia

Facilitator: Irina Beridze, Executive Programme Manager, International Association of Prosecutors

Juror misconceptions about alcohol's effects on memory systematically undermine the fairness of sexual assault trials in New South Wales. This presentation will examine how jurors wrongly equate intoxication with memory inaccuracy, despite scientific evidence showing that alcohol impairs memory completeness - not necessarily accuracy - particularly at low to moderate levels. Drawing on empirical research, case law, and trial practice, this session will demonstrate that without expert evidence or judicial guidance, jurors rely on personal experience and "common sense," leading to speculative credibility assessments of intoxicated victims. We will examine prevailing misconceptions about alcohol and memory, review research on intoxication's actual effects on memory completeness and accuracy, and identify key considerations for judges and juries evaluating evidence from intoxicated parties, with a particular focus on sexual assault trials.

This 60-minute webinar will be held in English and no interpretation will be provided. However, attendees can access live automated translated captions via the Zoom platform during the webinar.

All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance. The webinar is open to all IAP organisational and individual members. Please note that this webinar will be recorded.

For more details, please contact Ms. Irina Beridze, Executive Programme Manager of the IAP, at epm@iap-association.org

We look forward to welcoming you at the webinar!