The Expert Witness Project is a network of qualified experts in domestic violence who provide expert witness testimony in both civil and criminal legal matters on behalf of survivors of domestic violence. These qualified experts are advocates who currently or formerly worked for domestic violence programs, individuals who have worked in law enforcement, the medical profession, etc. who have expertise in domestic violence.

Expert witnesses in domestic violence play a vital role in assisting the fact finder to understand the complexities of domestic abuse including counter-intuitive victim behavior, coercive control, and the pattern of behavior that abusers use to control and dominate survivors.

Expert witnesses are experts in one or more of the following topics: 

  • Why victims of battering minimize the abuse they have experienced;
  • Why victims of battering cannot or do not leave abusive relationships;
  • Battering as a systematic way that abusers utilize various tactics to restrict an intimate partner’s autonomy;
  • Counterintuitive victim behavior;
  • Why victims may recant, lie, comply with, defend, or stay with their abuser;
  • Effects of trauma;
  • Escalation;
  • Strangulation;
  • And more

LCADV serves as the referring body to connect domestic violence experts to survivors, private attorneys, and District Attorneys as requested. LCADV will give the requesting party up to three experts to choose from. The requestor can contact the expert of their choice to request additional information, including the cost for their services. 

If you would like to request an expert witness please fill out the referral below: 

Expert Witness Referral

Please select the category that best describes you:(Required)
Please choose the category of the case:(Required)
For example, specifics of abuse as experienced by members of the LGBTQ community, immigrant survivors, male survivors, child survivors, older survivors, disabled survivors etc.

By submitting this inquiry, I agree that I am seeking only a referral for a potential expert witness who has participated in an LCADV sponsored training. I know that no one associated with LCADV will become my attorney in any proceeding because I completed this online form.