Dr. Ayesha Bhakta is an Associate Litigation Consultant at Blueprint Trial Consulting.

Dr. Bhakta is a legal psychologist whose research focuses on how jurors think, make decisions, and respond to evidence in the courtroom. In her graduate research, Dr. Bhakta investigated juror perceptions and beliefs, child witness testimony, and the factors that influence death penalty sentencing in Florida. Through her doctoral training, she has developed strong skills in data collection and statistical analysis, along with a passion for translating complex research into practical insights that legal teams can use. Her work centers on bridging the gap between research and real-world application, with a particular interest in helping legal professionals better understand the human side of decision-making.

Dr. Bhakta earned her Ph.D. in Legal Psychology from Florida International University. Her dissertation examined public perceptions of the legitimacy of the legal system in the context of plea bargaining. She also earned a Master of Science in Psychology from Florida International University, where her thesis examined how attorneys’ legitimacy-focused messaging influenced juror decision-making in a capital murder trial. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology from the University of California, Irvine.