Lora M. Levett

Lora M. Levett is an Associate Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Criminology, Law & Society at the University of Florida. She specializes in legal psychology, focusing on jury decision-making, eyewitness identification, and forensic psychology. Dr. Levett holds a PhD in legal psychology from Florida International University (2005) and has been actively involved in research, teaching, and professional service.

Her research emphasizes improving legal decision-making through social and cognitive psychological frameworks, aiming to bridge gaps between academic findings and practical legal applications. She runs the LEAD Psychology and Law Lab at UF, where students collaborate on projects addressing legal system challenges. Dr. Levett has secured NSF grants for work on expert evidence and jury behavior, and she serves on the Executive Committee of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) as Secretary.

Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate courses like CJL3038 (Law and Society) and graduate courses such as CCJ6936 (Proseminar in Crime, Law and Justice). She has advised numerous students and contributed to over 25 peer-reviewed articles on topics including eyewitness reliability, plea bargaining, and post-exoneration challenges. Dr. Levett’s work has been published in top-tier journals like Law and Human Behavior and Psychology, Public Policy, and Law.

Awarded for scholarship, teaching, and service, she also acts as an expert witness, educating legal professionals on eyewitness evidence. Her lab and professional activities highlight a commitment to advancing both empirical research and real-world legal reforms.