Understanding Court-Ordered Psychological Evaluations: What You Need to Know
If you've been ordered to complete a psychological evaluation by a court, you might feel overwhelmed or uncertain about what that means. These assessments are used to provide objective information that helps the legal system make decisions about custody, sentencing, treatment needs, or risk.
Common types of court-ordered evaluations include:
Parental fitness evaluations
Violence risk assessments
Psychosexual evaluations
Competency or mitigation evaluations
These evaluations are conducted by psychologists with forensic training and follow strict ethical and legal standards. While the process may feel intimidating, our goal is to ensure it’s fair, respectful, and clearly communicated. Read more about our forensic evaluations or visit APA’s guidelines on forensic practice.
