Department Archives: Department of Legal Studies

Aramis Ayala is an award-winning civil rights advocate, cancer survivor, and former Florida State Attorney who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of justice. As Florida’s first Black State Attorney and a fierce opponent of the death penalty, she made national headlines because of her commitment to criminal justice reform. Prior to running for […]

Christy L. Foley is a visiting lecturer at the University of Central Florida. Her legal work focuses on transactional small business law and entertainment law. She is also a Florida Supreme Court certified appellate, circuit civil, and county court mediator who is considered a pioneer in the field of e-mediation. Dr. Foley is a leader […]

Kristin K. “Kiki” Grossman is an educator, conflict navigator, Florida Supreme Court certified Family mediator, dedicated yoga practitioner, writer, artist, and lawyer who obtained a Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution from The Straus Institute at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. In addition to her academic degrees, one of her proudest achievements was receiving her […]

Carlton Patrick studies the psychology of legal decision-making, often from an evolutionary perspective. He is the coauthor of the book Objection: Disgust, Morality, and the Law (OUP), and his work has been published across a broad range of academic outlets including Nature Human Behaviour, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, and the Arizona State […]

Professor Merriam is an associate professor with a joint appointment to the Legal Studies Department and School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs. His research and teaching interests focus on national security law and constitutional law, focusing especially on constitutional issues associated with the military and military service. Professor Merriam also serves as an appellate […]

Research Interests Trial Advocacy Domestic Law Civil Procedure

I joined the Legal Studies Department at UCF as a Lecturer in 2016. I teach a variety of legal courses to undergraduate and masters students, including Environmental Law, Real Estate and Property Law, Bankruptcy Law, Civil Procedure, Bankruptcy Law, and core Legal Studies courses. I have also created and regularly teach a masters Administrative Law […]