The first seeds of forensic psychology were planted in 1879 when Wilhelm Wundt, often referred to as the father of psychology, founded his first lab in Germany. Since Wundt, the field of forensic psychology has blossomed, with contributions from lots of other experts in the field.

The history of forensic psychology dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century, with Sigmund Freud lecturing judges on the practicality of psychology in 1906, Hugo Muensterberg applying psychological principles to legal problems in his book On the Witness Stand in 1908, and William Healy establishing the first psychological clinic attached to a court in Chicago in 1909 (Tapp, 1976).