Faulty forensic evidence and biased evidence relying on sex-based stereotypes have long been used to convict innocent women in situations where an accident or health event has been misconstrued as a criminal act. This talk will conceptualize and consider “reproductive wrongful convictions,” which are instances in which a noncriminal pregnancy-related event or act––such as a miscarriage, stillbirth, or taking legally prescribed medicine––is erroneously labeled as criminal. It will also attend to the ways that women with disabilities and from racially and economically subordinated communities are often labeled as “unfit” and made particularly vulnerable to these charges.
Jennifer E. Laurin, the George R. Killam, Jr. Chair of Criminal Law at the University of Texas School of Law and a consulting faculty member on the Sissy Farenthold Reproductive Justice Defense Project, will serve as a respondent for the event.
\n\nIf you need an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the event sponsor or the Texas Law Special Events Office at specialevents@law.utexas.edu no later than seven business days prior to the event. X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:Faulty forensic evidence and biased evidence relying on sex-based stereotypes have long been used to convict innocent women in situations where an accident or health event has been misconstrued as a criminal act. This talk will conceptualize and consider “reproductive wrongful convictions,” which are instances in which a noncriminal pregnancy-related event or act––such as a miscarriage, stillbirth, or taking legally prescribed medicine––is erroneously labeled as criminal. It will also attend to the ways that women with disabilities and from racially and economically subordinated communities are often labeled as “unfit” and made particularly vulnerable to these charges.
Jennifer E. Laurin, the George R. Killam, Jr. Chair of Criminal Law at the University of Texas School of Law and a consulting faculty member on the Sissy Farenthold Reproductive Justice Defense Project, will serve as a respondent for the event.
If you need an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the event event sponsor or the Texas Law Special Events Office at specialevents@law.utexas.edu no later than seven business days prior to the event.
LOCATION:TNH 2.111 - Sheffield-Massey Room URL:http://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/10/19/89198/ CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED COMMENT:https://law.utexas.edu/humanrights/events/valena-beety-indiana-reproductive-wrongful-convictions-the-making-of-unfit-mothers/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR