In this episode, Professor Deb Tuerkheimer, who is a law professor at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, describes the way in which her career as a prosecutor specialized in sexual assault and domestic violence crimes has informed her teaching and writing about the criminal law. 

As a result of this episode, listeners will be better prepared to:

-Recognize that unique impact the rules of evidence covering “other acts,” rape shield, and expert testimony have on sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking cases. 

-Develop strategies to counter unjust attacks on credibility.

-Find the victim’s voice and experience in published case decisions.

Deborah Tuerkheimer joined the Northwestern Law faculty in 2014 after serving as a professor at DePaul University College of Law since 2009 and the University of Maine School of Law since 2002. Professor Tuerkheimer received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College and her JD from Yale. She teaches and writes in the areas of criminal law, evidence, and feminist legal theory. Her book, “CREDIBLE: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers,” was published in October 2021. She is also a co-author of the casebook “Feminist Jurisprudence: Cases and Materials,” and the author of numerous articles on sexual violence and domestic violence. After clerking for Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jay Rabinowitz, she served for five years as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office, where she specialized in domestic violence prosecution.

This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-24-GK-03009-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

Season 1 sound editing and graphic design by Jacob D. Long. Music by ⁠MaxKoMusic⁠.