Legal Services

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Monnica Williams, Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Monnica Williams is a board-certified psychologist with extensive experience working with civil and criminal legal cases, including capital cases. She has served as an expert witness in dozens of cases and has conducted legal research, published in both psychological and legal journals. As a seasoned professional, Dr. Williams has the ability to evaluate the severity of the situation and provide well-informed opinions that can significantly impact the outcome of a case. It is typical for civil cases to settle once Dr. Williams provides her expert report. However, Dr. Williams is also skilled in depositions and cross-examination.

Expert Witness for Discrimination Cases

With a keen understanding of human behavior and discrimination, Dr. Williams plays a critical role in the pursuit of justice.

Dr. Williams can conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine if a client has been affected by PTSD or other mental health diagnoses due to their experiences with discrimination and present this information to the court. Her expertise in the field allows her to present compelling evidence that can effectively demonstrate the connection between the discrimination and the mental health issues suffered by affected clients. She is most frequently retained to address cases of racism in the workplace, which has included experiences of discrimination by universities, businesses, non-profit organizations, law enforcement, and government agencies. For criminal cases, she is most frequently consulted to ascertain the impact of racial trauma as an explanation or mitigating factor for alleged crimes.

Dr. Williams' services are invaluable to attorneys seeking to build strong cases, as her expert testimony brings substantial credibility and depth to their arguments, ensuring that the victims of discrimination receive the justice they deserve. In addition to her psychological assessments, Dr. Williams also offers consultations to legal teams, helping them better understand the mental health consequences of discrimination on their clients.

Expert services provided for discrimination cases have involved:

Racial harassment in the workplace
Sexual harassment in the workplace
Wrongful termination due to racial discrimination
Racial and gender discrimination by child protective services
Traumatization of students from bullying and abuse in schools
Reproductive violence by medical professionals
Mistreatment of sexual minorities by law enforcement
Racism against Indigenous people by law enforcement
Racial trauma to explain flight from law enforcement
Racism in legal proceedings

Custody Evaluations

Dr. Monnica Williams and her team have worked with families in need of custody evaluations, parental fitness evaluations, and assessments of children and parents in need of psychiatric diagnoses. Areas of interest include parental alienation and culturally-informed assessments for the court.

Read Dr. Williams' latest blog in Psychology Today on how courts get it wrong when working with diverse families. Racism, Gender Bias, and Islamophobia in Family Court: Children Are Harmed When Decisions Are Based on Stereotypes.

Anti-Racist Jury Selection

Dr. Monnica Williams not only provides assessments and expert testimony on discrimination-related legal cases but also extends her expertise to assist in the selection of an impartial jury. As a skilled psychologist, she is adept at identifying potential biases and evaluating the suitability of prospective jurors to ensure a fair trial. Through meticulous evaluation of jury questionnaires and assisting with voir dire, she can help legal teams build a well-rounded jury that is less likely to be influenced by preconceived notions or racial prejudice.

Featured Papers

Faber, S. C., Strauss, D., Gran-Ruaz, S., La Torre, J., Bartlett, A., Faber, I., Levinson, A., & Williams, M. T. (2022). A call to use psychology for anti-racist jury selection. Practice Innovations, 7(3), 203–222. https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000172

Levinson, A., Williams, M. T. et al. (2022). Challenging jurors' racism. Gonzaga Law Review, 57(3), 365-424.

More Legal Papers

Jury Selection: Beyond Black and White — What Is Needed to Have Racism-Free Jurors — Impakter

Expert Witness for OCD Cases

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is frequently misunderstood.

Dr. Monnica Williams has psychological expertise surrounding individuals struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly those experiencing symptoms of pedophilic-themed obsessive-compulsive disorder (POCD). She offers expert witness services and assessments for individuals whose fitness as a parent is called into question due to misdiagnosis or misunderstanding of this specific condition. Having written a definitive treatment manual about sexual obsessions in OCD for Oxford University Press, she is well-equipped to clarify misconceptions and educate the court about the true nature of POCD.

By providing accurate assessments and shedding light on the complexities of the condition, Dr. Williams helps ensure that parents with OCD receive fair treatment during legal proceedings. Her knowledge of OCD and its impact on affected individuals and families contributes to a more informed decision-making process, safeguarding the rights of clients while promoting a better understanding of mental health disorders for the legal team and court.

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