Ronald J. Bretz, Professor

Biography

Ronald J. Bretz Professor  B.A. Michigan State University 1973 J.D. Wayne State University Law School 1976 Contact by e-mail

Professor Bretz was an assistant defender with the State Appellate Defender Office for 20 years before joining the Cooley faculty. He became well-established as an expert in the use of serology and DNA scientific evidence. Professor Bretz published and lectured extensively in this area, and he has consulted with attorneys and scientists across the country.

Professor Bretz briefed, argued, and won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. He won an award from the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan for that work.

He has been a member of seminar faculties for the Kent County and Detroit bar associations, the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, the Defender Training Institute, the Appellate Assigned Counsel System, the State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law Section, the Michigan Judicial Institute, and the Michigan Judges Association.

He is a member of the Thomas M. Cooley Legal Authors Society, has served as a board member of Legal Aid of Central Michigan, and was a member of the Standard Criminal Jury Instructions Committee.

Professor Bretz is the chair of the Criminal Law and Procedure Department, and teaches Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, and Moot Court (National Competition). He won the Stanley E. Beattie Teaching Award in 1998 and 1999.

Bibliography

• Articles
• Books and Chapters in Books
• Book Reviews and Other Short Works
• Other Writings
• Presentations

Articles

Bretz, Ronald J. and James Peden, "Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program Lecture," 3 TM COOLEY J PRAC & CLIN L 139 (2000).

Bretz, Ronald and William Weiner, "Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program Lecture," 2 TM COOLEY J PRAC & CLIN L 193 (1998).

Bretz, Ronald, "Annual Survey of Criminal Law," 38 WAYNE L REV 803 (1992).

Bretz, Ronald, "Annual Survey of Criminal Law," 36 WAYNE L REV 385 (1990).

Bretz, Ronald, "Annual Survey of Criminal Law," 35 WAYNE L REV 413 (1989).

Bretz, Ronald, "Scientific Evidence and the Frye Rule: the Case for a Cautious Approach," 4 COOLEY L REV 505 (1987).

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Books and Chapters in Books

Bretz, Ronald, co-author. DEFENDER TRIAL BOOK: 1992 Supplement. Lansing, MI: Michigan State Appellate Defender Office (1992).

Bretz, Ronald. "Scientific Evidence," and "DNA Typing Evidence (2 chapters)," in INTRODUCING EVIDENCE, rev. ed., ed. by James K. Robinson and Lynn M. Collins. Lansing, MI: ICLE (1990).

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Other Writings

Bretz, Ronald and James Peden, "Michigan Criminal Law Update," Detroit-Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, 2000.

Bretz, Ronald, "When Can a State Prisoner in a Federal Habeas Corpus Petition Cite Ineffective Assistance of Counsel as Good Cause to Excuse His Procedural Default?," 5 PREVIEW 268 (February 5, 2000).

Bretz, Ronald, "Can Police Detain an Individual Soley Because He Ran Away From Them." 2 PREVIEW 96 (October 20, 1999).

Bretz, Ronald, "The 'Automobile Exception' Revisited: Must Police Have Individualized Suspicion That a Container Holds Contraband Before They Can Search It?," 4 PREVIEW 193 (December 31, 1998).

Bretz, Ronald and James Peden, "Michigan Law Update," Detroit-Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, 1998.

Bretz, Ronald, member, Michigan Judicial Institute Editorial Advisory Committee for MANAGING A TRIAL UNDER THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT. Lansing: Michigan Judicial Institute (1995).

Bretz, Ronald, member, Michigan Judicial Institute Editorial Advisory Committee for SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE (1994).

Bretz, Ronald, committee member. STANDARD CRMINAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS. (1988-1996 ).

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Presentations

Bretz, Ronald, "Practice multistate feedback lectures" [videorecording] : Yellowacre Exam. Lansing, Mich. T M COOLEY LAW SCHOOL, (2001)

Bretz, Ronald, "Racial Profiling," presented to ACLU Lansing Chapter Annual Meeting (2000).

Bretz, Ronald, "DNA Typing Evidence," presented to the State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law Section (2000).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (2000).

Bretz, Ronald. "Current Issues in Criminal Law in Michigan Appellate Courts," presented to the Ingham County Bar Association Criminal Law Section (1999).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1999).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1998).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1997).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1996).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Michigan Judicial Institute, Regional Judicial Conference, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1996).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Michigan Judicial Institute, Regional Judicial Conference, Traverse City, Michigan (1996).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Michigan Judicial Institute, Regional Judicial Conference, Detroit, Michigan (1996).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Michigan Judicial Institute, Regional Judicial Conference, Lansing, Michigan (1996).

Bretz, Ronald, small group leader, "Confronting Expert Testimony," Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Traverse City, Michigan (1995).

Bretz, Ronald, "DNA Typing," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1995).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1995).

Bretz, Ronald, "DNA Typing Evidence," presented to Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Southfield, Michigan (1994).

Bretz, Ronald, "Criminal Jury Instructions," presented at Defender Training Institute, East Lansing, Michigan (1994).

Bretz, Ronald, "Hot Issues in Criminal Law," presented to Ingham County Bar Association, Lansing, Michigan (1994).

Bretz, Ronald, "Legal Issues in Criminal Sexual Conduct Cases," presented to Sexual Assault Information Network Annual Conference, Grayling, Michigan (1993).

Bretz, Ronald, "Legal Issues in Criminal Sexual Conduct Cases," presented to Sexual Assault Information Network Annual Conference, Lansing, Michigan (1993).

Bretz, Ronald, "Update on Criminal Law," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1992).

Bretz, Ronald, "DNA Typing Evidence," presented to Detroit Bar Association, Detroit, Michigan (1991).

Bretz, Ronald, "DNA Typing Evidence," presented to Kent County Bar Association, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1991).

Bretz, Ronald, "Post Conviction Remand Proceedings," presented to Ingham County Bar Association, Lansing, Michigan (1989).

Bretz, Ronald, "Scientific Evidence Serology and DNA Typing," presented to State Bar of Michigan, Criminal Law Section, Bellaire, Michigan (1989).

Bretz, Ronald, "Serology and DNA Typing," presented to Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, Detroit, Michigan (1989).

Bretz, Ronald, "Appellate Tactics and Procedure," presented to Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System Seminar, Lansing, Michigan (1988).

Bretz, Ronald, small group leader, "Presenting Your Theory of Defense," Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Southfield, Michigan (1987).

Bretz, Ronald, "Appellate Tactics and Procedure," presented to Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System Seminar, Marquette, Michigan (1985).

Bretz, Ronald, "Oral Arguments: United States Supreme Court, Michigan v. Jackson 84-1531" [audiotape] (1985)

Bretz, Ronald, "Sentencing," presented to Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Ortonville, Michigan (1982).

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