Judge Basden Endorsed Expert Testimony Tied to Discredited Theories

As Clallam County Superior Court struggled to address an 18-month backlog of family law matters, then-Presiding Judge Brent Basden consulted specialists advancing a framework that its creators now acknowledge has failed.

Video footage from court proceedings shows Judge Basden actively endorsing these theories rather than passively receiving them.

During a December 9, 2025, trial, Judge Basden spoke from the bench to expert witness Dr. Marsha Hedrick, remarking that he had found her previous testimony fascinating and had suggested colleagues review it as a starting point for analyzing similar cases.

Judge Basden referenced Dr. Hedrick's testimony concerning a journal she self-published alongside Dr. John Dunne in 1994.

His endorsement arrived despite a 2019 sworn declaration from Dr. Dunne, who co-authored the foundational paper behind the journal.

In that declaration, Dr. Dunne acknowledged that the theory underlying Dr. Hedrick's self-published work had been widely discredited in psychiatric and legal circles.

Dr. Dunne concluded the declaration by telling the court he had never accepted a bribe in any of his clinical or forensic work.

The 1994 Paper: A "Syndrome" Built on Sand

One method for undermining abuse victims in family court for decades has involved a 1994 paper co-authored by Dr. Dunne and Dr. Hedrick titled "The Parental Alienation Syndrome: An Analysis of Sixteen Selected Cases."

The paper adopted the criteria established by Richard Gardner, who created PAS and testified in hundreds of cases on behalf of fathers accused of child molestation.

Gardner's views, which underpinned Dr. Hedrick and Dr. Dunne's work, were deeply troubling. He wrote that a certain amount of pedophilia exists in everyone, and suggested that in cases of child molestation, mothers should be helped to understand that their children may have immensely enjoyed the sexual activities.

Marsha Hedrick and the Stuart Greenberg Legacy

The professional circle surrounding Dr. Hedrick, whom Judge Basden favors as an expert, includes the late Stu Greenberg, a forensic psychologist whose career was exposed as built on hypocrisy and lies.

Greenberg's record reflected systemic deception:

  • Misconduct and Suspension: In the 1990s, Greenberg pleaded guilty to misconduct in several custody cases and was barred from performing evaluations for three years.
  • Sealing the Past: After King County Judge R. Joseph Wesley declined to seal his suspension records in 1993, Greenberg lobbied a Thurston County judge to restrict public access to those records.
  • A Grinding Halt: In 2007, Greenberg was arrested for placing a video camera in his office restroom to record people in various states of undress; he died by suicide shortly afterward.

Despite this history, Dr. Hedrick remained a staunch defender of Greenberg, stating that he was an incredibly intelligent man and a stellar contributor to the field of forensic psychology.

A Playbook for Institutional Cover-Ups

The strategy of using alienation to suppress abuse survivors has long been a cornerstone of institutional defense.

Dr. Hedrick's close associate, the late Stu Greenberg, was a primary architect of this approach. He did not merely consult on custody cases; he also served as a key advisor for the defense of Catholic priests accused of child abuse.

Forensic Psychology and Institutional Protection

A lineage of forensic psychological theory has been identified as a factor in the systematic concealment of abuse within the Catholic Church. During a 2005 deposition concerning allegations in Alaska, the president of Seattle University, Father Stephen Sundborg, was questioned regarding the Jesuit abuse scandal. Records indicate that Father Sundborg relied on the counsel of a specialist named Greenberg. Greenberg advised Father Sundborg against conducting investigations into potential victims, arguing that such inquiries could “cause more damage” than the initial abuse. This guidance enabled known offenders to remain in ministry while survivors were denied resources or official acknowledgment.

Connections to the Epstein Case

The training methods of Dr. Hedrick also appear in records released by the Department of Justice concerning the Jeffrey Epstein case. Among the files is the curriculum vitae for Dr. Kathleen McHugh, a psychologist whose evaluations were part of the documentation in the “Epstein Matter.” Her resume indicates she received professional training from Dr. Hedrick in March 2008. McHugh attended a workshop titled “Assessments in Contested Parenting Time and Access Matters,” which was presented by Marsha Hedrick, Ph.D. While there is no indication of a direct link between Hedrick, McHugh, and Epstein, her role in training experts whose work appears in high-stakes DOJ records underscores her influence in the field of forensic evaluations.

Family Court Centralization

Current Presiding Judge Barnhart has moved to centralize Judge Basden’s influence over local family law cases. Court officials previously suggested that the family law calendar would be handled by a rotation of judges, but current records indicate a departure from that plan. Since the termination of former Commissioner Parker, Judge Basden has been assigned to the family law calendar every single week. While a majority of Clallam County appears to be concerned with Judge Basden presiding over domestic cases, some Facebook commenters suggested that Basden’s LDS membership could benefit their case. However, the majority of Clallam County appears to be deeply disturbed.

This permanent assignment ensures that a judge who publicly recommended Dr. Hedrick’s “fascinating” testimony to his judicial colleagues—testimony based on theories her own co-author admitted were “rightly” discredited—now holds total authority over Clallam County’s most sensitive custody and abuse cases. As Clallam County continues to struggle with a catastrophic 18-month backlog, the victims of domestic violence and child abuse find themselves entering a courtroom where the family court judge is actively promoting a playbook long associated with protecting the interests of the powerful.