Expert Witness
Cannabis Genetics Expert Witness
Dr. Chad Ternes is a PhD plant scientist and cannabis genetics expert witness serving attorneys, law firms, and legal teams nationwide. With a background spanning molecular biology, phylogenetics, bioinformatics, and cannabis cultivar intellectual property, Dr. Ternes provides expert witness services in cases where the science of cannabis genetics is central to the dispute.
Dr. Ternes holds a senior patent analyst credential and has served as an expert witness in cannabis cultivar litigation. He is the co-founder of True Cut, a cannabis genomic identity and IP verification platform, and formerly a faculty researcher and instructor in plant synthetic biology at Colorado State University.
Areas of Expertise
Cannabis Cultivar Identity Disputes — SNP-based genomic fingerprinting to establish or contest whether two samples share a common genetic identity. Analysis holds up under scientific and legal scrutiny.
Cannabis IP & Patent Litigation Support — Technical analysis for cases involving cannabis plant patents, breeder's rights, trade secret claims, and cultivar IP disputes. Senior patent analyst credential.
Genetics-Based Fraud & Misrepresentation — Scientific assessment of claims involving mislabeled genetics, substituted cultivars, or fraudulent strain identity in commercial transactions.
Cannabis Tissue Culture & Propagation Disputes — Expert analysis of contamination events, genetic fidelity failures, and propagation system breakdowns in commercial nursery and clone operations.
Case Types
Cultivar theft and genetic identity disputes · Cannabis patent infringement · Breeder IP and trade secret litigation · Clone and nursery contamination claims · Genetics misrepresentation in commercial transactions · Hemp vs. marijuana classification (genetic basis) · Expert rebuttal on competing genomic analyses
Credentials
PhD, Plant Science | Oklahoma State University
Senior Patent Analyst | Cardinal Intellectual Property
Faculty Researcher, Synthetic Biology | Colorado State University
Expert Witness, Cannabis Cultivar Litigation
Published researcher, genomic fingerprinting and plant molecular biology
Co-founder, True Cut — cannabis genomic identity and IP verification
Available nationwide for retained expert witness engagements, case review, and litigation consulting.