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Legal Case Update: Com. v. McGinnis

The case of Com. v. McGinnis involves the admissibility of expert testimony on false or distorted memories in children who are alleged victims of sexual abuse. The complainant, J.M., disclosed to his mother in 2013 that his father (the defendant) had sexually abused him years prior. J.M. was found competent to testify at trial. The defense sought to introduce expert…

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SCOPA Upholds Superior Court’s Exclusion of Expert Testimony on False Memories

In Commonwealth v. McGinnis, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA) was asked “whether ‘generic’ false memories expert testimony in a child sexual abuse prosecution, which the defendant is presenting solely to educate jurors about how legitimate and false/distorted memories are and can be created in children, is admissible at trial.”On Dec. 1, SCOPA released their evenly divided opinion. Therefore, affirming…

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PARSOL Annual Dinner

PARSOL held its annual meeting on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at the KOP Tap Room in King of Prussia, Pa. where co-founding executive director Theresa Robertson, Ph.D., LPC was honored with the Founders Award. Also recognized were co-founders Stew Steckley and Carol Salacka, Psy.D. Brenda Jones, Executive Director of NARSOL presented Theresa with the NARSOL Lifetime Achievement Award at the…

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