The first comprehensive examination of the increasingly important role of forensic psychologists in consulting and expert witness testimony in child custody litigation, this book offers practical advice on understanding the critical psychological dynamics often found in child custody cases as well as guidance in using your own forensic consultant and testifying expert in complex litigation. Authors Philip M. Stahl and Robert A. Simon are experienced forensic psychology consultants with a combined 50 years of experience, making them uniquely positioned to explain the process and roles of reviewers, consultants, and expert witnesses in contested custody cases. Throughout the book, they use case examples where critical issues such as the developmental need of children, relocation, domestic violence, and the alienated child are involved, providing a logical process to help you critique the evaluation reports of others and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
Topics include the differences between forensic and clinical mental health professionals; evidentiary standards; consultation and testifying roles; development of a case theory; strategies for constructing questions in testimony; potential biases; ethics; and much more.