Psychiatric Assessment for Family Court

A psychiatric assessment will often be requested in cases related to divorce or family law is brought before a the court. A misdiagnosis can lead to family or individual harm. This article will review some of the most prevalent disorders and the issues that may arise from an assessment for psychiatric disorders.

Evaluations are often requested

You may have been required to undergo a psychoiatric examination in the case of a family case. These types of assessments can be a useful tool to determine whether a parent has been abusive.

The majority of evaluations are psychologists or licensed clinical social workers. They perform interviews with both the child and the parents and write up an evaluation report. Although the report does not necessarily mean that a custody decision is made however, it could be used in the court's decision-making process.

An evaluation may be imposed by an arbitrator or judge for a variety reasons. The presence of conflict between spouses is one of the most frequent reasons. In this case it is crucial to determine the mental health of each parent to determine if the parent is fit to care for the child.

If a judge finds that the parent is mentally unfit, they may deny custody of the child. The court can also limit access to the child as well as limit visits.

An evaluation of the psychological state can be requested if there's any history of neglect, alcohol or drug abuse, or other mental health issues. It will help determine the best parenting strategy.

Most courts will not permit an assessment if there's no reason to believe that the parent is mentally sick. This is due to the possibility that discrimination may result. A judge may decide to rule if there is a history of mental illness.

During an evaluation an evaluator or psychologist will meet with each parent separately to ask questions about the child's needs, behavior or attitudes, beliefs, and parenting style. They can also review the child's medical record and other family documents.

A full assessment can take several weeks depending on the specifics of each situation. Full evaluations typically include interviews with parents as well as other family members.

A focused-issue examination is a shorter version of an evaluation. These mini-evaluations are focused on specific aspects of the child custody dispute. Typically they are not as expensive than a complete evaluation.