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A Psychologist’s specialized knowledge is often necessary in legal settings to help bring insight and information to human behavior.   Mental health assessments can be used to help determine and clarify any forensic related issues.  These assessments can be focused on psychiatric and psychological diagnostic evaluations, personality testing, intellectual and cognitive abilities, and detection of malingering. 

 

Areas of expertise can include:

 

  • Family law

  • Criminal Law

  • Civil Law

  • Elder Law

 

Family Law

 

Psychological interventions in Family Law often times are focused on the complexities of parenting and divorce.  A psychologist working in a forensic family law setting may be asked to evaluate situations such as:

 

  • Evaluation of parenting abilities

  • Mental status of a parent

  • Neuropsychological abilities and functioning

  • Substance abuse issues

  • Domestic violence

 

Criminal Law

 

Psychological interventions in Criminal Law often focus on the complexities of a client’s mental health and its impact on a criminal case.  Psychological interventions in a legal setting can include:

 

  • Client psychological evaluation

  • Cognitive and intellectual deficit evaluation

  • Evaluate a defendant’s ability to participate in their defense

  • Determine a client’s mental capacity at the time of the alleged offense

 

Civil Law

 

Psychological interventions in Civil Law often focus on how psychological factors may be relevant to a client’s civil case.  Psychological evaluations can address such issues as:

 

  • The psychological impact of a work or car accident

  • Issues of sexual harassment

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other related stressful experiences

  • Personal injury or disability claims

  • Work related claims of depression, stress, or anxiety

 

Elder Law

 

Psychological interventions in Elder Law or Probate Law often times focus on issues related to competency or legal capacity. Psychological interventions focus on such areas as:

 

  • Client’s ability to make decisions in their best interest

  • Evaluation for dementia or Alzheimer’s Disorder

  • Evaluate Elder’s ability to manage self-care and finances

  • Evaluate legal capacity in the context of guardianship, conservatorship, and contest proceedings

  • Psychological and mental health status

 

Psychological testing in forensic situations can include:

 

  • The MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multi-Phasing Personality Inventory -2)

  • The ASPECT (Ackerman-Schoedorf Scales for Parent Evaluation of Custody)

  • The TOMAL (Test of Memory and Learning – Revised)

  • The GSBI (Garos Sexual Behavioral Inventory for Sex Offenders)

  • The PEI-A (Personal Experience Inventory for Adults of Substance Abuse and Related Problems)

 

 

Forensic Assessments

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