Finding a qualified forensic psychologist poses several problems, even if your law practice is located in a major city with a large population. First, only a few credible forensic psychologists practice in any major city. Second, there are times where the best forensic psychologists are “conflicted out” of a case because they’ve had some form of contact with the litigants in the past. And third, this handful of forensic psychologists is likely to be very busy, which means that receiving a psychological evaluation “on time” is typically a problem.
If you practice law in community of less than a million people, you may have to choose between as few as two or three forensic psychologists. If you work in small town or county, there may not be an experienced or qualified forensic psychologist within hundreds of miles.
This is where I enter into the legal picture. I’ve found over the years that having a forensic practice means traveling: to the courtroom; to a jail, to a nearby community to interview a litigant. My forensic “home office” is usually gathering dust because I’m on the move.
As a result, I’m able to perform relevant and reliable psychological evaluations of every kind anywhere, anytime and on-time.
Let’s break down the reasons why this type of bespoke service is needed.
Choices For Forensic Psychologists Are Limited, Even In Major Cities
I’ve practiced in multiple states over the years, and quickly realized that credible and qualified forensic psychologists are few and far between, even in metropolitan areas. Need a child custody evaluation done? I can think of less than three practitioners in greater Cleveland, two in Boise, five in Dallas, and two in Austin.
You may also find practitioners who offer forensic evaluations that aren’t particularly credible or qualified. Their reports are rife with bias, missing collateral information, and their clinical recommendations often aren’t connected to the legal issues at hand.
My all-time favorite example is a custody evaluation performed by a well-known clinician in a large city. His 15-page report contained pictures of the mother and her children enjoying the fountain at a local mall, complimentary text about how nice the mother and children were, a few disparaging comments about the father (whom he’d never met or interviewed), and some internet references about being a good parent. There was a wonderful bio about his exploits as a psychologist along with a picture. And, as you might expect, a glowing recommendation that the mother should have sole custody, primary residence with the child, and total decision making for health and education. All for the bargain price of $18,000.
Sometimes you don’t get what you pay for. If you want a hired gun, remember to hire a “straight shooter.”
Good Forensic Psychologists Have Limited Availability
Let’s say you do live in an area with credible, qualified forensic psychologists. The next problem will likely be their availability. Ethically – and in most states legally – a forensic psychologist cannot take a case if there has been previous contact in a clinical setting, forensic consultation, or previous forensic evaluation with a different party. Just as in a law practice, a forensic psychologist can be “conflicted out” of a case.
This is one of the main reasons why I travel to conduct evaluations anywhere, anytime.
Here’s an example: A custody case was ordered in a city located hundreds of miles away from my home base of Plano, a northern suburb of Dallas. One of the litigants didn’t like the first credible evaluator that was appointed. The litigant then decided that the second credible evaluator was also biased. So I received a call. I had met the attorney for one of the parties at a professional meeting, and she decided to see if I was available.
The case had challenges that fit my “anywhere, anytime” approach perfectly. One party was in a major city. The other litigant was in a different major city. And one of their children was in a therapeutic boarding school in a different state. There was considerable travel involved. And yet the evaluation was done in three months, with recommendations that were satisfactory to both attorneys and their clients while pursuing the best interests of the child, who was ultimately successfully reintegrated with both parents. The cost was described by one attorney as “very reasonable.”
Completing Your Evaluation On-Time
This leads to the final problem facing attorneys – obtaining a reliable, relevant psychological evaluation “on time.”
You see, “on time” often takes on a peculiar meaning in forensic psychology. In every major city that I practice in, I hear the same complaint: forensic psychologists take far too long to produce a report. A custody evaluation in any market often takes nine to 15 months. A psychological report takes six to nine months. And while the report is languishing in the psychologist’s office, the legal picture continues to evolve, and the litigants are increasingly stressed as the evaluation drags on and on and on.
When someone can birth a baby sooner than a custody report can be produced, there is a problem.
A psychological evaluation is a time slice, not a history lesson. My target time for a psychological evaluation is one month; three months for a custody evaluation. It takes a clear understanding of the legal issues, laser focus on the process, tight organization, and maximal use of technology to meet this timeline. I’m able to perform the bulk of a psychological evaluation in one day, and a child custody evaluation in two days. Long days filled with interviews, observation, testing and gathering collateral information lead to a solid report.
Curious About The “Anywhere” Statement?
I’m able to see people anywhere because I’m a member of both Regus and Intelligent Office, organizations that have thousands of locations around the country where I can use a “day office” on demand. If I’m in a very small locale that doesn’t offer one of these options, I use a local meeting room.
The Dallas airport is a hub for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, and has nonstop connections to more than 200 cities. It’s less than one hour from my home base of Plano, Texas. I routinely fly into a city in the early morning (or the night before if necessary), conduct the evaluation, and am home in the evening. In most cases, my fee includes up to two trips to your location. And I don’t charge for travel time, because I’m working on someone else’s report when I’m on the move.
Wondering About The “Anytime” Claim?
This one is simple: I don’t sit on reports, I produce them.
As a result, I usually have a window of time to actually meet with a litigant and start the evaluation within seven to 10 days. If I can’t prepare a relevant and reliable report within this time frame, I always inform the attorneys and provide a realistic time estimate.
In some cases, I can prepare a report even faster than expected. Just had an ex parte hearing where a parent has lost visitation rights pending a hearing? I’ve prepared detailed, credible reports within a week that have led to an immediate hearing and resumption of visitation. That type of speed will cost a bit more, and my report may or may not be favorable to your litigant – but I can do it.
Now that you know a bit more about how I work, I invite you to contact me personally if you have further questions about my forensic psychology services. I provide relevant and reliable psychological evaluations of every kind – anywhere, anytime and on time. Just make a call to get started.