Battered woman syndrome evidence in the courtroom: A review of the literature.

The use of battered woman syndrome evidence has been advocated in trials of battered women who assault or kill their abusers. The present article reviews existing legal and psychological literature addressing the use of this form of expert testimony. As the review will indicate, there are, at present, substantial gaps in our knowledge about its scientific status and its impact on legal proceedings. The goal of the article is to highlight some of the central concerns surrounding the use of bettered woman syndrome evidence and to encourage additional research on the subject.