Unwavering Commitment to Forensic Integrity and Insight
At Independent Forensic Services (IFS), we provide impartial, scientifically rigorous forensic analysis to support legal professionals, law enforcement, and government agencies. Led by forensic biologist Jae Gerhard, our team of highly skilled and sought after forensic experts specialises in evaluating complex forensic evidence, ensuring its reliability, and presenting clear, defensible findings in court.
With over 20 years of experience, Jae has worked on thousands of operational cases and has appeared as an expert witness in courts across Australia and internationally. Her career includes contributions to some of the most significant forensic investigations in modern history, including the 2002 Bali Bombings and the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami disaster victim identification efforts.
At IFS, we are committed to delivering independent forensic expertise across multiple disciplines, including forensic biology, DNA analysis and interpretation, STRmix™, bloodstain pattern analysis, forensic chemistry, forensic toxicology, fingerprint examination, and forensic pathology. Our work extends to criminal, coronial, and Commission of Inquiry matters, ensuring every case is evaluated with scientific precision, integrity, and independence.
We work exclusively with legal professionals, coroners, and government agencies, providing expert forensic opinions, case evaluations, and courtroom expert evidence that uphold the highest standards of forensic science.
Whether you require independent evidence review, expert advice, or professional testimony, IFS is dedicated to ensuring forensic science serves the pursuit of truth and justice.
Published Judgements
| Judgement | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Doolan v R [2025] NSWCCA 190 (14 November 2025) | NSW Court of Criminal Appeal judgment dealing with Brendan Thomas Doolan's appeal arising from his 2023 conviction in the NSW Supreme Court for the murder of his partner near Forbes. The Court considered the conviction grounds advanced on appeal, with the President of the Court of Criminal Appeal Ward P presiding. | View |
| R v Camelo-Gomez [2022] NSWSC 136 (21 February 2022) | Sentence judgment of Wilson J of the NSW Supreme Court sentencing Isabela Carolina Camelo-Gomez following her conviction by jury for the November 2001 murder of her mother, Irene Jones, at the deceased's Sydney home. Her Honour records that the deceased died from the combined effects of ligature strangulation and a stab wound, and that matricide is a rare crime to which a particular degree of horror attaches. | View |
| R v Gordon (No 8) [2017] NSWSC 574 | Judgment of the NSW Supreme Court delivered during the trial of R v Gordon, dealing with an interlocutory issue arising in the course of the proceedings. The decision sits within the run of "No" judgments published by the Court in the matter and addresses an evidentiary or procedural question raised before the jury. | View |
| R v Xie (No 4) [2014] NSWSC 500 (30 April 2014) | Pre-trial judgment of the NSW Supreme Court setting out the background to the Crown case against Lian Bin ("Robert") Xie, who stood trial for the July 2009 murders of five members of the Lin family at North Epping. The decision records the way the Crown put its case and addresses preliminary issues arising before the substantive trial. | View |
| Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes – Final Report – Volume 2 [2023] NSWBCPubInq 4 (18 December 2023) | Final report of the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry led by the Honourable Justice John Sackar examining unsolved deaths of LGBTIQ people between 1970 and 2010 that may have been hate crimes. Volume 2 addresses 32 individual deaths examined in public hearings, finds reason to suspect LGBTIQ bias was a factor in 25 of them, and makes recommendations on case-specific outcomes and NSW Police investigative and record-management practices. | View |
| Xie v R [2021] NSWCCA 1 (15 February 2021) | NSW Court of Criminal Appeal decision dismissing Lian Bin ("Robert") Xie's appeal against his conviction for the murders of five members of the Lin family at North Epping in July 2009. The judgment of Bathurst CJ, R A Hulme J and Beech-Jones J considers grounds including challenges to the DNA and other forensic evidence relied on by the Crown at the 2016 retrial. | View |
How We Can Help You
With Independent Forensic Services, you gain access to a team of experts.
An Expert Team Lead by Jae Gerhard
Jae Gerhard is a Forensic DNA Expert and the Principal Forensic Scientist at Independent Forensic Services, bringing over two decades of frontline experience in forensic biology. She has worked on some of Australia’s most complex and high‑profile cases with the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police, including the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes, National Crime Authority bombing, Claremont serial killer case, Lin Family murders, murder of Michelle Beets as well as international disaster victim identification operations such as the 2002 Bali Bombing, 2003 Australian Embassy bombing and 2004 Asian tsunami.
Specialising in DNA analysis, STRmix™, biological fluid examination, and bloodstain pattern interpretation, Jae now works independently with criminal defence teams to review and challenge forensic evidence. Her mission is simple: to ensure the science presented in court is accurate, balanced, and truly understood.