Neuroscience and the Law: An Introduction for Judges (In-Person Program)

Co-sponsored with the

MGH Center for Law, Brain and Behavior, Harvard Medical School, and NJAM

This half-day program for Massachusetts judges will introduce recent and compelling developments at the intersection of neuroscience and law, with particular attention to the judicial role in evaluating neuroscientific evidence. Neuroscience is increasingly being presented in all courtrooms, raising important questions about culpability, capacity, memory, injury, and decision-making.

The afternoon will begin with a Law & Neuroscience 101 overview, then examine the developing brain in youth/young adults; the aging brain and issues of competence; and research on vicarious trauma and judicial wellness. All sessions will emphasize applied neuroscience and are designed to connect scientific findings to real-world courtroom contexts, focusing on how judges and lawyers are already encountering and using neuroscience in practice.

This program will highlight what neuroscience can reliably tell us, where its limits lie, and how judges can effectively assess, contextualize, and respond to neuroscience in their courtrooms.

Please note that seating for this event is limited, and advance registration is required. We encourage you to register at your earliest convenience to ensure your participation. Lunch will be provided.

Program Faculty:
In alphabetical order

Judith G. Edersheim, JD, MD, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Center for Law, Brain & Behavior and Harvard Medical School

Robert Kinscherff, PhD, JD, Executive Director, Center for Law, Brain & Behavior, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School

Francis X. Shen, JD, PhD, Member, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, Chief Innovation Officer, MGH Center for Law, Brain & Behavior; Co-Director, Neurotech Justice Accelerator at MGB

Lisa M. Rocchio, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University

Leah H. Somerville, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, a Harvard College Professor (Endowed 2021-2026), and faculty in the Center for Brain Science