Ashley Gale Vaughan, J.D., Esq., M.A.

Ashley Gale Vaughan is a doctoral student in legal psychology at The University of Texas at El Paso, where she has served as a graduate researcher and lab manager in the Legal Decision Lab. Her research examines how psychological processes shape legal decision-making, with particular emphasis on jury decision-making, alternative dispute resolution, procedural justice, and perceptions of fairness and legitimacy within the legal system. She uses experimental and quantitative methods to study how individuals understand and respond to legal processes.

Vaughan is also a licensed attorney with professional experience in family law, probate, estate planning, and civil litigation. Her legal training and practice inform her interdisciplinary approach to teaching and scholarship, particularly her interest in improving legal education and preparing future attorneys to understand the human dimensions of law and legal decision-making. She also serves as a volunteer mediator in the El Paso community.

Her scholarly work has addressed juror cognition, legal reform, procedural justice, alternative dispute resolution, and mental health in legal contexts. She has taught courses in psychology and law, experimental psychology, research methods, torts, and legal research and writing.

Vaughan earned her Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, and her bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas Tech University. She earned her Master of Arts in legal psychology from The University of Texas at El Paso in May 2026. Utah.

UTEP Faculty Profile

Contact Information

Email: agvaughansterc2@utep.edu

Phone: 915.747.8866

108D Miners Hall

Personal Information

Assistant Professor of Practice

Curriculum Vita