Because of Attorney Rivets expertise in Fire Scene Analysis, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services recently asked Kathryn Rivet to assist with its Advanced Fire Investigation course, held at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Attorney Rivet met with six first-responders who were enrolled in the course and prepared them to testify in a hypothetical case at a mock trial.

The first responders had conducted an examination of an actual controlled burn scene, including the bedroom of a juvenile who was a known fire-setter. After a thorough inspection and collection of evidence, they determined that the point of the fire’s origin was on the juvenile’s bed. As laboratory analysis of the suspected ignition source – a partially burned book of matches – was still pending at the time of trial, they classified the fire as having an “undetermined” cause.

Attorney Rivet directly examined several members of the investigative team about their inspection and collection of evidence, and defended them during cross examination. The mock trial was presided over by First Justice Matthew J. Machera of the Chelsea District Court in Massachusetts.