Citation

Lallave JA, Gutheil TG. Int. J. Law Psychiatry 2012; 35(5-6): 456-463.

Affiliation

P.O. Box 381829, Cambridge, MA 02238, United States; Program in Psychiatry and the Law, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, United States. Electronic address: lallave.hms@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijlp.2012.09.012

PMID

23062586

Abstract

Jung's theories of archetype, shadow, and the personal and collective unconscious provide a postmodern framework in which to consider the role of the expert witness in judicial proceedings. Archetypal themes, motifs, and influences help to illuminate the shadow of the judicial system and projections and behaviors among the cast of the court in pursuing justice. This article speaks to archetypal influences and dialectical tensions encountered by the expert witness in this judicial drama. The archetype of Justice is born from the human need for order and relational fairness in a world of chaos. The persona of justice is the promise of truth in the drama. The shadow of justice is untruth, the need to win by any means. The dynamics of the trickster archetype serve and promote injustice. These influences are examined by means of a case example. This approach will deepen understanding of court proceedings and the role of the expert witness in the heroic quest for justice.

Language: en