ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses four of the common types of forensic evaluations performed in civil proceedings: child custody, fitness for duty, civil commitment, and damages within the context of emotional injury cases. Mental health professionals (MHPs) are frequently asked to provide observations or opinions regarding the emotional, behavioral, and/or cognitive functioning of an individual involved in the legal system whose mental state is at issue. As is the case for evaluations conducted in criminal proceedings, the referral question for each type of civil forensic assessment is grounded in a specific legal principle. Mental health professionals who accept referrals for forensic evaluations must be aware of key principles or issues pertaining to competent and ethical practice. Only fairly recently have psychology and social science begun to play a prominent role in child custody determinations. Mental health professionals were initially retained to assess "psychological parenthood" during the child custody determination process.
