My main research topics are criminal law and criminal procedure law, and a common theme in my research is the role of criminal law in society. I am interested in how to include knowledge from disciplines other than law in legal scholarship and I employ empirical methods in criminal law research.

One of my areas of expertise is sexual offences. I received my Degree of Doctor of Laws in 2015 with a thesis on the legal interest of sexual offences and in particular on the crime of sexual molestation. The thesis project was followed a few years later by the project ‘The #metoo momentum and its aftermath’ together with Ulrika Andersson, Lena Karlsson and Clare McGlynn. Within the framework of that project, I have studied the 2018 reform of the rape provision, conducted a study of preliminary investigations of reported cases of sexual harassment, and analysed defamation judgements that followed the #metoo movement.

Another area of research is how criminal sanctions are regulated in law and determined in practice. In 2024, I begin the project ‘Understanding sentencing – Proportionality, Conformity and Sources of Law in Judicial Decision-making’, funded by the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation.  

Research ethics is another area of interest. I am investigating the legal regulation of ethical review in Sweden within the project ‘Researchers’ arguments and ethical boards decisions concerning children's participation in research about child abuse and neglect’ together with Gisela Priebe and Sabine Schönfeld.

I am interested in crime policy in a broad sense and have been the coordinator of ‘Reimagining Police and Public Safety’, an advanced study group at the Pufendorf Institute that ran during 2021.

I teach criminal law, criminal procedure law and feminist legal theory. I am course director for the advanced courses "Sexuality, social control and criminal law" and "Criminal proceedings - from preliminary investigation to judgment" and supervise master and doctoral theses.

During the years 2015-2018, Linnea Wegerstad worked in the general courts. She has practised as law clerk at Lund District Court and the Court of Appeal over Skåne and Blekinge, and acted as junior judge at Malmö District Court.