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Aug. 29, 2025

Making the courtroom trauma informed when wounds are invisible

A trauma-informed approach allows the courtroom to recognize and validate the invisible scars of sexual abuse survivors, helping jurors understand how trauma shapes memory, behavior and testimony.

Michael S. Carrillo

Trial Attorney
The Carrillo Law Firm

1499 Huntington Drive, Suite 402
South Pasadena , CA 91030

Michael focuses on child sex abuse, teacher sexual abuse, assault, youth organization abuse and civil rights abuse.

See more...

Making the courtroom trauma informed when wounds are invisible
Shutterstock

"We spoke about (John Doe) during deliberations. We could see he was really struggling to testify by the way he wrung his hands and his body language while speaking. We could see he was really hurt." - Juror in Does v. Mountain View Unified School District explaining how the trauma experience of a sexual assault survivor manifested itself in the courtroom.

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