Psychiatric Assessment for Family Court

If a divorce or another family law issue is filed in court, a psychiatric assessment is often required. The issue with this assessment is that the results could be inaccurate and a person or family can be hurt by an inaccurate diagnosis. This article will discuss some of the most commonly reported disorders and the problems that could be caused by a psychiatric assessment.

Evaluations are often requested.

If you're involved in a family law dispute, chances are that you've heard of or been requested to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. These kinds of assessments are an effective tool in determining whether or not parents' behaviors are abusive.

The majority of evaluations are psychologists or licensed clinical social workers. They conduct interviews with the child and parents and then compose the report. The report may or might not lead to a custody ruling however it can be used to aid the court's decision-making process.

An evaluation may be imposed by an arbitrator for divorce or a judge for a variety reasons. The presence of conflict between spouses is one of the most frequently cited reasons. To determine if a parent is able to take care of the child, it is important to examine their mental health.

A judge can deny custody to the parent who is deemed mentally unfit. The court may also restrict access to the child or restrict visitation.

If the child has a history of neglect, drug abuse, or mental health problems, a psychological evaluation may be sought. It will help determine the best parenting plan for the child.

The majority of courts will not allow an evaluation if there's no reason to believe that the parent is mentally ill. This is because discrimination could result. However, if there's an underlying mental illness, a judge might decide.

During an evaluation the psychologist or evaluator will meet with each parent individually to ask questions about the child's needs, behaviours and attitudes, values, and parenting style. They may also look over medical records and other family documents.

Based on the particular circumstances of the case, an entire evaluation could take several weeks to complete. Interviews with parents and other family members are a standard element of full evaluations.

A focused-issue assessment can be a shorter form. These mini-evaluations are focused on specific aspects of the child custody dispute. These evaluations are typically less expensive than a complete evaluation.