Jody L. Madeira

Jody L. Madeira is the Richard S. Melvin Professor of Law and Louis F. Niezer Faculty Fellow at Indiana University Maurer School of Law, where she joined the faculty in 2007. She serves as Co-Director of the Center for Law, Society & Culture and is internationally recognized for her expertise in fertility fraud, bioethics, law and medicine, with a special focus on reproductive endocrinology. Her work has been featured in national and international media, including the Netflix documentary 'Our Father' (2022) and TEDx presentations.

Madeira's research spans several interconnected areas including empirical studies of fertility clinics, the role of emotion in law, the sociology of law, and Second Amendment jurisprudence. She has conducted groundbreaking research on fertility fraud through extensive qualitative and quantitative data collection including 130 patient interviews, 83 interviews with reproductive medical professionals, and 267 patient surveys. Her current research includes designing S.U.N., a multimedia web portal for college students addressing substance use disorders, and examining American discourse about firearms and medical practice.

Her scholarly output shows a clear progression from early work on capital punishment and victim experiences toward her current focus on reproductive law and bioethics. The most recent publications demonstrate her interdisciplinary approach, combining legal scholarship with empirical research in medical settings, particularly in fertility clinics. Her work bridges law, medicine, psychology, and public health, with publications appearing in both legal journals and medical specialty publications.

• Federalist Society Searle Young Legal Scholars Research Fellowship (2011-12)
• Indiana University Trustees' Teaching Award (2015)
• Indiana University Leon Wallace Teaching Award (2022)

Madeira is actively involved in advising and grant-funded research. She serves as principal investigator on a grant with Dr. Basia Andraka-Christou to design S.U.N., a multimedia web portal addressing substance use disorders among college students. She also leads research on firearms discourse in medical contexts. While specific student advisees aren't listed in the provided materials, her position as a full professor suggests she mentors numerous law students and potentially supervises doctoral candidates in interdisciplinary programs. Her teaching portfolio includes Law and Medicine, Reproduction Childhood and the Law, Seminar in Law and Medicine, and Torts.

Professor Madeira collaborates extensively with medical professionals, particularly in reproductive medicine, working with physicians like Dr. Steven R. Lindheim and Dr. Mark V. Sauer. Her work demonstrates strong connections between legal scholarship and clinical practice, with research often conducted in partnership with fertility clinics and healthcare institutions.