"Judicial Notebook" is a project of SPSSI (APA Div. 9)

The other guy did it too

How does a confession that mentions a codefendant’s involvement affect jury determinations of guilt?
By Jonathan P. Vallano, PhD, and Jules Epstein, JD, November/December 2023, Vol. 54, No. 8

When it comes to racial justice issues, recent Supreme Court rulings are inconsistent

Race-conscious decision-making is still permissible when it comes to determining access to the ballot but not to higher education.
By Melissa Anderson, MS, and Cynthia J. Najdowski, PhD, October 2023, Vol. 54, No. 7

The psychology behind how the public assigns fault and responsibility

People’s perceptions of civil settlements influence how they understand and participate in the legal system.
By Jennifer Robbennolt, JD, PhD, Jessica Bregant, JD, PhD, and Verity Winship, JD, September 2023, Vol. 54, No. 6

How relevant is an eating disorder in a capital case?

Court case raises questions about how judges view different mental health disorders.
By Cynthia Calkins, PhD, July/August 2023, Vol. 54, No. 5

A mentally ill prison inmate was denied exercise in solitary confinement. He's now petitioning the Supreme Court

Can prison officials be held liable for depriving inmates of exercise?
By Marc W. Pearce, JD, PhD, June 2023, Vol. 54, No. 4

Jails need help addressing the needs of people deemed incompetent

Jails have evolved as the de facto mental health hospitals for pretrial detainees. How can the competency process be improved to ensure fair treatment?
By Kathryn A. LaFortune, JD, PhD, April/May 2024, Vol. 54, No. 3

Stereotypes about people and communities of color may be limiting Fourth Amendment protections

Psychologists interested in addressing police officer bias should look beyond changing individual officers’ attitudes.
By Melissa Anderson, MS, and Cynthia J. Najdowski, PhD, March 2023, Vol. 54, No. 2

Examining propensity for violence in firearm cases

Court case raises questions about whether vague standards may result in discriminatory practices and racial bias.
By Cynthia Calkins, PhD, and Jacob Egamino, January/February 2023, Vol. 54, No. 1