Amicus curiae (“friend-of-the-court”) briefs are briefs written by individuals or groups who are not directly involved in a legal case but have expertise or insight to offer a court to assist in making its decision. Since 1962, APA has filed nearly 250 amici briefs based on the most up-to-date and rigorously tested psychological science and research. As of 2025, 26 of APA's amicus briefs were cited directly by the U.S. Supreme Court and another 23 were cited directly in the decisions of lower courts.
APA's Amicus Curiae Brief Program is supported by the Amicus Curiae Expert Panel, a group of eight psychologists with expertise in various psycho-legal areas. Members of the panel assist the Office of General Counsel (OGC) by drafting and reviewing briefs, identifying additional relevant expert psychologists, and engaging in regular scanning of the environment for cases where psychological science could be utilized for the benefit society and to improve human lives.
Related resources
- APA Amicus Brief Submission Procedures
- About the Office of General Counsel
- Office of General Counsel Staff
- "Informing the courts with the best research" (Monitor on Psychology, December 2019)
Begin an Amicus Brief Request
APA will consider requests for cases with issues relating to:
- An area of psychological science or research.
- An official APA Council Policy or APA-Approved Standard or Guideline.
- Other issues related to the practice or profession of psychology that benefit society and improve lives.
APA Office of General Counsel Amicus Program Staff
Deanne Ottaviano, JD
General Counsel
Traci Brown
Director of Legal Operations and Senior Paralegal
Vernitta Cooper
Executive Assistant
Amicus Curiae Expert Panel
Karen Salekin, PhD (Chair)
(2022–present)
University of Alabama
Carly Baetz, JD, PhD
(2025-present)
Associate professor, Purdue University Northwest
Clinical assistant professor, New York University School of Medicine
Shirin Bakhshay, JD, PhD
(2025-present)
UCLA School of Law
Joel Dvoskin, PhD, ABPP, ABFP
(2022–present)
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Melanie B. Fessinger, PhD, MLS
(2025-Present)
Arizona State University
Craig Haney, PhD, JD
(2022–present)
University of California, Santa Cruz
Raina Lamade, PhD, ABPP
(2022–present)
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Francisco J. Sánchez, PhD
(2022–present)
Arizona State University
Stephanie Tabashneck, PsyD, JD
(2025–present)
Center for Law, Brain and Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School and Petrie-Flom Center at Harvard Law School