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Most of you have had to deal with clients who give you major problems. They are uncooperative and irresponsible. They resist direction and/or act obnoxiously. These people probably have a personality disorder. There are 10 different types of personality disorders which I will briefly describe below.
Many court cases are decided upon whether the jury regards an injured plaintiff as faking his/her condition. The intentional or conscious fabrication of symptoms or injuries is called malingering. How do you determine whether your client is malingering? This is not a simple matter. There are several tests designed…
When you ask the question is my client more vulnerable than others to a given trauma, you are asking a complicated question. Other things being equal, individuals with severe mental disorders are at the top of the list of those most vulnerable. This would include schizophrenics, major depressive disorders,…
All of you have been exposed to a high conflict parent- you know the client who has been through several lawyers or the one who tries to send you to court on a monthly basis. He/she tries your patience and wears you out. You will need special care to…
In the state of Florida parenting plan evaluations (social investigations) are requested by family lawyers, and evaluators are appointed by the court, FL Statute 61.20. As such the investigator who is appointed works for the court to assist the Trier of Fact in deciding what is in the best…
The vast preponderance of literature on parenting plans indicate that the best interests of children are met by encouraging shared visitation and shared decision making. Any deviation from such would require a significant and detailed documentation of circumstances that could mitigate against these recommendations, e.g. domestic violence, child abuse,…
In an interesting study by Jameson, Ehrenberg, and Hunter (1997), psychologists were asked to rank sixty criteria obtained from legal and psychological authorities that were relevant to the best interest of the child in determining custody. The top five criteria were as follows:
(a) sexual abuse of the child by…
A thorough and detailed case history of your client is the most important part of a forensic evaluation. It provides the context for interpreting psychological tests as well as the rationale for relating client behavior to the legal questions to be explored.
The forensic interview may be the only source…
Is there such a thing as psychological disability? Can someone’s mental condition render them incapable of work? The answer to both questions is yes. The most severe form of psychological disability is schizophrenia. Most scientists believe it is genetically based. The symptoms may include hallucinations, delusions, and flat affect…
We all suffer tragedies in our lives. Relatives pass away, couples divorce, businesses fail. When these events happen suddenly, they can produce trauma. Are some individuals more susceptible to trauma than others? Yes. Other things being equal, individuals with severe mental disorders are at the top of the list…
