Court Evaluations
Family Court Evaluations: Parental Capacity Evaluations aim to determine parental abilities to assist the court in making decisions. These evaluations are court ordered and involve a comprehensive interview and a battery of psychological tests. Child Custody Evaluations aim to ensure that the needs of children are being met as best as possible.
Civil Court Evaluations: During the civil court process, the court may order a psychological evaluation when mental health or emotional distress is raised as an issue. For example, if a plaintiff is seeking monetary damages for mental health impairment. As part of the evaluation, the psychologist will assess for any emotional or cognitive factors that might have resulted from an incident.
Juvenile Court Evaluations: Assessments completed for the juvenile courts can aid in pre-trial and post-trial interventions (e.g., competency, risk, transfer to adult court). The aim is to help the court identify mental health, cognitive, and social factors influencing the minor, as well as assess risk and protective factors. Granite State Forensic & Psychological Assessment, PLLC believes that early intervention is paramount for juveniles that have found themselves involved in the legal system. By providing the court with valuable information, a thorough plan can be developed to use for sentencing and probation rehabilitation.
Adult Court Evaluations: Assessments completed for the adult courts can also aid in pre-trial and post-trial determinations and interventions. Evaluations include competency to stand trial, competency to plead guilty, competency for sentencing, criminal responsibility, and risk assessments to name a few.