Forensic Mental Health Consulting in Family Law: Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Going?

Abstract

Forensic Mental Health Professionals (FMHPs) are venturing into a new and expanding form of consultation within the family law arena. They are more frequently being hired by attorneys on one side of a case to join the litigation team and perform a range of consulting functions that veer far afield from traditional FMHP roles as court appointed neutral evaluators and mediators. Though new and exciting opportunities are developing, FMHPs find themselves confronting dilemmas unique to these collaborations. The FMHPs must be answerable to the ethical standards of their profession, while accommodating the rules and needs of the legal world. Forensic psychologists have been involved in legal cases involving mental health issues for more than a hundred years. Trial consultants have also participated in trial preparation and research for more than thirty-five years. These professions have developed ethical and professional standards to guide their work. The FMHPs have much to gain from the efforts of these disciplines, as they endeavor to work responsibly with complex cases, highly charged issues, and multifaceted relationships.