Legal Consulting and expert witness Services
Emma J. Church, PsyD, PhD Candidate, serves as an expert witness in legal cases related to intimate partner abuse, coercive control, trauma, cultural issues and victim advocacy.
She works on family, civil and criminal cases. Attorneys praise her testimony as grounded, scientific and essential in their case formation.
Her reports are known for their level of detail, clarity, depth and breath of knowledge as well as their ability to clearly break down complex interdisciplinary concepts. Expert disclosure available on request.
My Areas of Legal Expertise
• Abuse dynamics and identifying primary aggressor
• Gender inequality and related harms
• Human rights
• Discrimination, mental health and legal rights
• Coercive control
• Cultural competence and multicultural issues
• Forensic issues in gender based victimization
• Intimate partner violence (domestic violence)
• Pathologization of trauma responses and misdiagnosis
• Discourse as Evidence (linguistic analysis)
• Rape Trauma Syndrome
• Sexual harassment and violence
• Restorative justice
specialized offerings
• Strategic Coercive Control Mapping (for attorneys or clients)
• Victim Impact Narrative Consulting and Support
• Credibility Recovery & Advocacy for Discredited Professionals
• Legal-Ethical Guidance for Therapists Supporting Court-Involved Clients
• Appellate case analysis and strategic guidance
• GAL report analysis
• Psychological evaluation analysis
Her testimony directly supported our client’s position, and the jury ultimately ruled in favor of our client retaining custodial rights.
“Dr. Emma Church served as our expert witness in a jury custody trial involving an LGBTQ+ woman-of-color. Her evaluation was thorough, professionally prepared, and supported by relevant clinical standards. On the stand, she was incredibly knowledgeable, articulate, and spoke with clear authority. She was able to communicate complex psychological findings and systemic myths in a way that was both accessible and compelling to the jury.
Her testimony directly supported our client’s position, and the jury ultimately ruled in favor of our client retaining custodial rights. I have since referred other clients to Dr. Church based on the strength of her work in this case and presence on the stand.”