Krystia Reed

Dr. Krystia Reed is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at El Paso's College of Liberal Arts, where she directs the Legal Decision Lab. Her research examines psychological dimensions of legal decision-making by attorneys, juries, and legal institutions, with emphasis on improving procedural justice.

She holds a PhD in Psychology and JD from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, bringing interdisciplinary expertise to her investigations of plea bargaining, jury decision processes, attorney behavior, and tax law perceptions. Her work integrates experimental social psychology methods with legal analysis.

Research Focus:
Current projects investigate: 1) Cognitive and contextual factors in plea bargain decisions, 2) Jury damage award determination processes, 3) Attorney influence tactics and objections, 4) Public perceptions of tax software and IRS procedures, and 5) Eponymous policy support mechanisms.

Publication Trends:
Her scholarship demonstrates consistent focus on experimental investigations of legal actor decision-making, with recent expansion into tax law perceptions and computational approaches to legal system accountability.

Awards and Recognition:

• American Psychology-Law Society Early Career Professionals Grant (2024)
• NSF grant for Designing Accountable Tax Preparation Software Systems

Research Leadership:
Directs the Legal Decision Lab and serves as consultant for legal system program evaluations. Current NSF-funded collaboration develops accountable tax preparation systems through metamorphic testing frameworks.