New Book Helps Close Neuroscience Knowledge Gap for Lawyers, Judges, Policymakers

Brain Science for Lawyers, Judges, and Policymakers
April 24, 2024

University of Minnesota Law Professor Francis X. Shen, JD, PhD, has co-authored the first introduction to brain science specifically for lawyers, judges, and those interested in the legal implications of neuroscience. Brain Science for Lawyers, Judges, and Policymakers guides readers through the fundamentals of brain science and highlights the ever-increasing role neuroscience data plays in court cases and public policy. In addition, the authors offer guidance on the potential opportunities and limitations of using brain science in future policymaking and legal proceedings. “Neuroscientific evidence is increasingly appearing in legal contexts, but lawyers and judges rarely have training in brain science. This book fills that gap,” Shen explains. “The co-authors are a mix of neuroscientists and legal thinkers, and this allowed us to be scientifically rigorous while also accessible to legal thinkers.” Brain Science for Lawyers, Judges, and Policymakers, published by Oxford University Press and available for sale on Amazon, is authored by law professor Owen Jones, neuroscientist Jeffrey Schall, Shen, retired Judge Morris Hoffman, and neuroscientist Anthony Wagner. Dr. Shen is co-chair of the Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences and director of the Shen Neurolaw Lab.