Empowering Survivors. Informing the Courts.
At L.I.F.E. Recovery, Training, & Coaching, we offer Expert Witness Services that center the lived experiences of survivors and bring clarity to complex cases involving gender-based violence, coercive control, and trauma. Led by Karen Melissa-López Scott, a certified Domestic Violence Advocate with over a decade of frontline experience, our work bridges the gap between survivor realities and courtroom understanding.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) / Domestic Violence
Coercive Control & Psychological Abuse
Post-Separation Abuse & Litigation Abuse
Child Custody and the Impact of Abuse on Parenting
Trauma-Informed Perspectives on Survivor Behavior
Substance Use, Recovery, and Gender-Based Violence
Barriers and Inequities in Safety Planning
Trauma & Survivor Behavior
Trauma Intersections
Impact of Abuse on Parenting
Case consultation and expert analysis
Comprehensive record review and written reports
Testimony in depositions and court hearings
Expert affidavits and declarations
Written reports and evaluations
Training for legal professionals and agencies
Attorneys (Family, Civil, Criminal, and Immigration)
Legal Aid and Survivor Defense Teams
Courts and Government Agencies
Domestic Violence and Victim Advocacy Organizations
Pro Se Litigants (Self-Represented Survivors)
Survivors of abuse often face systems that misinterpret their behavior, minimize nonphysical abuse, or penalize them for protecting themselves and their children. Karen brings a trauma-informed, survivor-centered lens to each case, offering credible testimony grounded in both research and real-world advocacy. She helps courts understand the full context of abuse—including how coercive control, fear, and systemic barriers shape decisions that survivors make.
Karen’s testimony is grounded in years of hands-on advocacy and survivor-centered, trauma-informed practice. Her ability to articulate complex dynamics of abuse—including nonphysical tactics like coercive control and post-separation violence—provides the court with critical context that can clarify survivor behavior, trauma responses, and parenting decisions made under threat.
To request services or schedule a consultation:
email: [email protected]
or schedule a free consultation
call: 973-318-1767
Or use our Contact Form
to get started.