Forensic psychiatric evaluations, written for the record.
Independent, rigorous, and defensible. Reports that hold up under cross-examination, because they were built to.
The expertise behind the opinion.
Retaining counsel work with me when a matter calls for genuine psychiatric expertise and an opinion that will withstand scrutiny. I am double board-certified in general and forensic psychiatry, and I present regularly at the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. I am also able to conduct evaluations directly in Spanish, without an interpreter.
A predictable process, from intake to testimony.
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Scoping call
A no-charge call (up to 30 minutes) to discuss the matter, scope, jurisdiction, deadlines, and any conflicts. If the matter isn't a fit, I'll say so.
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Letter of agreement & retainer
Written agreement on scope, fees, deliverables, and timeline. Retainer applied against the final invoice.
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Records review & examination
Comprehensive review of medical, psychiatric, collateral, and legal records. Examination conducted in person or via secure telehealth, as the matter requires.
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Report
Written report grounded in the record and the psychiatric literature, with explicit reasoning and citations where appropriate.
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Testimony, if needed
Deposition and trial testimony are available separately, scheduled in advance.
Where I'm retained.
The matters below sit at the intersection of psychiatric medicine and the legal record. If yours isn't listed, the scoping call is the right place to ask.
Independent medical examinations
IMEs in personal injury, employment, disability, and insurance contexts. Reports written with the structure attorneys and adjusters need.
Psychiatric injury & damages
Assessment of psychiatric sequelae of trauma, accident, malpractice, harassment, and other claimed injuries, with causation analysis.
Competency & capacity
Capacity to consent, contract, manage affairs, or stand trial. Guardianship and conservatorship matters.
Criminal responsibility
Mental state at the time of an offense, criminal responsibility and insanity evaluations, and psychiatric input on mitigation and sentencing.
Reproductive & perinatal matters
A distinct subspecialty edge: perinatal mood disorders, postpartum psychiatric events, medication-in-pregnancy decisions, and the medico-legal complexity these can carry.
Standard of care & record review
Independent review of psychiatric records for opposing-counsel matters, peer review, or pre-litigation case assessment.
Independent, not adversarial.
My opinions go where the record and the science take them. I'll tell you early if a case isn't likely to support the position you'd hoped. That honesty is what makes the opinions useful when they do support it.
Every conclusion is tied to specific record evidence and the psychiatric literature. Cross-examination is anticipated when the report is drafted.
Realistic deadlines agreed in writing. If something changes, you'll know before it becomes a problem.
No scope creep, no surprise opinions. If a new question arises partway through a case, I'll discuss whether and how to address it.
Have a matter to discuss?
The initial scoping call is no charge, and a chance to map out fit, scope, and timeline together.