Families & Individuals
INDEPENDENT FORENSIC CONSULTING IN MINNESOTA
When a Case Leaves You With More Questions Than Answers
Independent forensic case review and death-investigation consulting for families, attorneys, agencies, and organizations. Based in Minnesota.
What Do the Facts Actually Show?
NorthStar Forensic Consulting provides independent forensic case review and death investigation consulting for Minnesota families, law firms, law enforcement agencies and organizations who need a plain answer to one question: what do the facts actually show. We don't work for one side of an outcome. We work from the records provided. Independent. Minnesota-based. Built on more than 20 years in public safety and forensic services.
Four kinds of clients, one standard of review.
Start Where You Are
Every case begins with questions. Our role is to help bring clarity to the facts.
Law Firms & Attorneys
"I need a second, independent read on this file before I commit to a position."
Law Enforcement & Public Safety
"We want an outside review before this goes any further."
Organizations
“We bring both forensic expertise and an understanding of the organizational context surrounding the matter.”
The four questions behind every NorthStar review.
We don't approach a case with a predetermined answer.
We approach it with questions.
What do the facts tell us?
We follow the record, not the narrative—identifying what is supported, what is unclear, and what cannot be determined.
What information is available?
We inventory the record itself: reports, photographs, lab results, scene documentation, and identify exactly what has been provided for review.
What may be missing?
We flag the gaps: the test not run, the photograph not taken, the witness not interviewed, so the client knows what a conclusion is and isn't resting on.
What questions should be asked?
We hand back the questions an attorney, investigator or family should be putting to the record, to the medical examiner, or to the next phase of the case.
Objectivity is the product of independent forensic consulting.
Retained by You,
Not an Advocate for You
"We will report our professional opinions regardless of whether they are favorable to the client," and that includes findings that support the other side, findings that are inconclusive, or findings that simply don't move a case forward.
That standard is what makes a review worth having.
- An attorney needs to know before trial, not during it, whether the evidence holds.
- A family needs an answer they can trust even when it isn't the one they hoped for.
- An agency needs an honest read on its own file.
For the boundaries of what we will and won't do on any engagement, see our scope of services.
Read our disclaimer →
Experience Measured in Cases, Not Claims
These figures reflect the individual casework of Ryan Jensen and Brent Petersen.
- 20+
- Years in public safety and forensic services
- 2,000+
- Autopsies participated in
- ~800
- Death investigations
- 1,000+
- Criminal investigations
- 50+
- Officer use-of-deadly-force investigations
Figures are the casework of Ryan Jensen and Brent Petersen, not firm-wide totals.
The Engagements, What's In Them, and What They Cost
Whether you're a family with questions about a report, an attorney weighing a file, an agency needing outside eyes, or an organization managing an internal incident, there's a defined path from consultation to case sign-off.
Families & Individuals
Law Firms & Attorneys
Law Enforcement & Public Safety
Training & Professional Education
Organizations
Where a fee is fixed, we publish it. Where it depends on the file, we tell you how it's quoted, and every engagement can start with the same 60-minute consultation.
Cost, timelines, records, and what a review can honestly do.
The Questions We're Asked Before Every First Call
Do I need the full case file?
Not always. A first consultation can work from what you have, an autopsy report, an incident report, whatever's been released to you. If the available information isn’t sufficient to support a meaningful opinion, we’ll tell you early. Please don’t send records until we’ve completed a conflict check.
Can you reinvestigate the case?
No. We don’t reinvestigate cases. We independently review the available records and provide an objective analysis of what the information supports, what remains unclear, and what may warrant further consideration.
Can you testify?
Yes. NorthStar provides independent expert services based on our review and analysis of records provided to us.
Our services can include:
Record review and analysis — We review the relevant records and documentation provided to us and identify the facts, findings, and issues within our area of expertise.
Expert consultation — We provide objective opinions within our specific field based on the records and information available to us. Opinions on cause and manner of death are given by NorthStar’s forensic pathologist.
Deposition testimony — Our experts can participate in depositions and explain their methodology, findings, and opinions under oath.
Expert testimony — When appropriate, our experts can testify at trial or other proceedings regarding opinions within their area of expertise.
Independent opinions — NorthStar does not investigate cases or advocate for either party. Our opinions are based on the records reviewed, applicable expertise, and the evidence available to us, regardless of which party retained us.
Our role is to provide objective, independent expertise—not to reach a predetermined conclusion or advocate for the retaining party.
How long does a review take?
It depends on the size and complexity of the file. After reviewing the materials provided, we’ll give you a realistic timeframe for the review and communicate any significant changes along the way.
Do you work outside Minnesota?
NorthStar is based in Minnesota. We consider matters from other states case by case, and will confirm before accepting one that the work can be done there.
Will you tell me what I want to hear?
No. We’ll tell you what the record supports. Our role is to provide an independent, objective assessment—not to reach a predetermined conclusion. If the information doesn’t support your expectations, we’ll tell you that too.