Richard A. Leo

Richard A. Leo is the Hamill Family Professor of Law and Psychology at the University of San Francisco School of Law. With prior positions at UC Irvine and University of Colorado Boulder, he specializes in police interrogation practices, Miranda rights, false confessions, and wrongful convictions. His research has influenced Supreme Court decisions and been cited in hundreds of legal cases.

Research interests focus on:

• Psychological coercion in interrogations
• Miranda rights effectiveness
• Systemic causes of wrongful convictions
• False confession psychology

Publications consistently examine interrogation techniques through legal and psychological lenses, emphasizing justice system reforms. Notable awards include:

• Guggenheim Fellowship (2011)
• Herbert Jacob Book Prize (2009)
• Lifetime Achievement Award (2014)

Dr. Leo regularly serves as an expert witness and litigation consultant in high-profile cases involving false confessions, including the Central Park jogger case and Norfolk Four exoneration.