The documentation of behavioral history and mental health history in civil and criminal cases often involves forensic evaluations, psychiatric records, medical documentation, social history reports, educational records, and interviews that help courts understand a person’s psychological functioning over time. Courts, attorneys, and agencies frequently rely on structured psychological documentation when evaluating competency, criminal responsibility, emotional… Read more »
The assessment process in independent medical evaluations (IMEs) and compulsory medical evaluations (CMEs) involves reviewing medical and psychological records, conducting interviews and testing, and evaluating symptoms to form an objective opinion about an individual’s condition and level of impairment. These forensic psychological assessments are used in legal matters to clarify medical or psychological questions connected… Read more »
Forensic psychological reports are objective, evidence-based documents prepared to address specific legal questions. Attorneys should understand that these reports are based on sufficient factual basis developed through the application of reliable principles and methods. At Florida Forensic Psychology, we are qualified to prepare independent forensic psychological reports for civil, criminal, and immigration cases nationwide. Purpose… Read more »
Clinical therapy and forensic immigration evaluations both involve psychological expertise, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. Clinical therapy focuses on treatment and recovery within a confidential patient–clinician relationship, while a forensic immigration evaluation is an objective psychological assessment prepared for use in legal proceedings. Although both may involve discussions about trauma, emotional distress, and life… Read more »
Forensic psychologists assess criminal responsibility through insanity evaluations. The sanity evaluations are done by examining whether a severe mental illness affected a defendant’s capacity to understand or control their actions at the time of an alleged offense (standards of sanity vary across jurisdictions). This forensic psychological evaluation involves clinical interviews, review of historical records, and… Read more »
The ethical standards of forensic psychology are rooted in the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, developed by the American Psychological Association (APA). These guidelines serve as a framework for professional conduct when psychological knowledge is applied to legal questions. Forensic psychologists are expected to maintain accuracy, fairness, and independence in all aspects of their work…. Read more »
