Our experts provide services to defense attorneys and prosecutors in a variety of areas of criminal law.
Criminal Law Cases
- Competence to Stand Trial
- Criminal Responsibility (insanity defense)
- Competency to Waive Miranda Rights
- Mitigation (downward departure)
- Violence Risk Assessments
- Psychosexual Evaluations / Sexual Risk Assessments
- Sexually Violent Predators
- Capital Sentencing
- Involuntary Commitment and Treatment
- Expert Witness Testimony
- Consultation
Juvenile Law Cases
- Competence to Stand Trial
- Assessment of Violence and Sexual Risk
- Sexual Behavior Assessment
- Expert Witness Testimony
- Consultation
What Is a Forensic Evaluation and When Do You Need One?
This type of specialized psychological assessment is conducted to answer specific legal questions within criminal, civil, or family court proceedings. Unlike clinical assessments that focus on diagnosis and treatment, forensic assessments at FC PsychExperts focus on producing objective, evidence-based findings that assist judges, attorneys, and juries in making informed legal decisions. These assessments use validated psychological testing instruments, structured clinical interviews, and comprehensive record reviews to reach conclusions that meet court admissibility standards.
You may need this type of assessment when a legal matter requires expert psychological insight. Common situations include criminal cases questioning a defendant’s mental competency, custody disputes where parenting fitness is contested, personal injury claims requiring documentation of psychological harm, and immigration proceedings that require evidence of trauma or hardship.
Forensic assessments carry weight in court precisely because they follow strict ethical and methodological standards. The psychologist conducting the assessment does not advocate for either side. Instead, they present impartial findings based on clinical data. This objectivity distinguishes forensic work from therapeutic relationships and is what makes the resulting reports and testimony credible to legal decision-makers.
Civil Law Cases
- Personal / Emotional Injury
- Psychological Factors in Physical Trauma
- Independent Medical Examinations (IME)
- Immigration
- Guardianship
- Civil Commitment
- Pre/Post Adoption Evaluation
- Mental Competency Examinations
- Psychological Autopsy – Assessment of Suicide
- Expert Witness Testimony
- Consultation
Family Law Cases
- Parental Capacity Assessments
- Social Investigations
- Psychological Evaluations
- Expert Witness Testimony
- Consultation
Types of Forensic Evaluation In Jacksonville, FL
FC PsychExperts conducts forensic psychological assessments across every major area of law, including criminal defense, family court, civil litigation, juvenile justice, and immigration proceedings. Our team’s combined experience covers the full spectrum of court-related psychological assessments that Jacksonville attorneys and courts require, from competency determinations and risk assessments to custody evaluations and psychological injury documentation.
Criminal Law Assessments
Our psychologists evaluate defendants and individuals involved in criminal proceedings across multiple assessment types. Dr. Matthew J. Jalazo, Psy.D., who completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology at Dorothea Dix Hospital and trained at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, conducts competency to stand trial evaluations, criminal responsibility assessments for insanity defense cases, competency to waive Miranda rights evaluations, violence risk assessments, psychosexual evaluations, sexually violent predator assessments, mitigation evaluations for downward departure and capital sentencing, and involuntary commitment assessments.
Each criminal assessment follows a systematic process that includes reviewing legal records and police reports, conducting structured clinical interviews, administering validated psychological testing instruments, and integrating all data sources into a comprehensive written report. When your case reaches deposition or trial, our psychologists provide expert witness testimony explaining their findings in clear, accessible language.
Family Law Assessments
Family court assessments at FC PsychExperts prioritize the best interests of children while providing courts with the objective data they need. Dr. Cathy Colet has completed specialized training in custody evaluations and has extensive experience conducting parental capacity assessments, social investigations, and psychological evaluations for family court. Our family law services include parental capacity assessments, child custody evaluations, social investigations, psychological evaluations of parents and children, bonding and attachment assessments, and risk factor assessments related to potential abuse.
In family court, the forensic psychologist is ethically required to represent the best interests of the children, regardless of which party requested the assessment. This means our findings may support one parent, the other, or recommend arrangements neither party anticipated. Courts rely on this impartiality to make placement decisions that protect children’s physical and emotional wellbeing.
Civil Law Assessments
Civil litigation frequently involves psychological dimensions that require expert documentation. Dr. Colet has firsthand experience working in a Level 1 Trauma Center directly with trauma patients and their families, giving her particular insight into the psychological consequences of injuries. Our civil assessments cover personal and emotional injury evaluations, psychological factors in physical trauma cases, independent medical examinations, guardianship evaluations, civil commitment assessments, mental competency examinations for legal documents such as wills and power of attorney, pre-adoption and post-adoption evaluations, and psychological autopsy assessments.
For personal injury cases, we document the full range of symptoms resulting from traumatic events, including chronic pain, personality changes, flashbacks, memory deficits, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. We also assess for malingering and deception, ensuring that our findings withstand scrutiny from opposing counsel.
Juvenile Law Assessments
Our team has extensive experience providing psychological evaluations for juvenile cases involving government agencies and private entities, including the Department of Juvenile Justice and child welfare organizations. Juvenile assessments include competence to stand trial for minors, violence and sexual risk assessments, sexual behavior assessments, and expert witness testimony in juvenile proceedings.
Immigration Psychological Assessments
Dr. Colet has advanced training in immigration law and provides forensic psychological assessments for extreme and exceptional hardship cases, political asylum applications, spousal abuse documentation, Violence Against Women Act petitions, competency to participate in immigration proceedings, and same-sex couples hardship waivers. These trauma-informed assessments meet the specific legal standards immigration courts require while maintaining clinical depth and cultural sensitivity. Dr. Colet is available to conduct assessments at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers and correctional facilities.
How Does the Assessment Process Work in Jacksonville?
A forensic psychological assessment at FC PsychExperts follows a structured, multi-step process designed for thoroughness and legal defensibility. The process typically involves an initial consultation, comprehensive record review, clinical interview and psychological testing, collateral contacts, detailed report preparation, and feedback or courtroom testimony when needed. Most assessments are completed within two to four sessions.
The process begins when you contact our office to discuss the legal or clinical question driving the assessment. During this initial consultation, we determine which assessment type addresses your situation, explain what to expect, discuss timelines and fees, and schedule your appointment.
Before we meet, we request and review all relevant records, including medical files, school records, prior evaluations, police reports, and court documents. This preparation allows us to use in-person assessment time efficiently and provides critical context for interpreting results.
During scheduled sessions, our psychologists conduct detailed clinical interviews and administer validated psychological testing instruments. Sessions typically last two to four hours depending on assessment type. Some cases require multiple appointments or testing across several days. We also conduct collateral interviews with family members, treatment providers, teachers, or other relevant parties when appropriate.
Following the assessment, we prepare a comprehensive written report that explains our methodology, presents relevant history, describes test results, integrates all data sources, and addresses the specific legal question. Every report is written with the understanding that judges, attorneys, and opposing experts will review and challenge it.
How Forensic Assessments Differ from Clinical Assessments
The key difference between a forensic assessment and a clinical assessment is purpose. A clinical assessment answers the question “What treatment does this person need?” A forensic assessment answers legal questions such as “Is this person competent to stand trial?” or “What custody arrangement serves the child’s best interests?” FC PsychExperts maintains a 75% forensic and 25% clinical practice balance, which means our psychologists bring treatment insight to evaluative work while maintaining the strict objectivity that courts demand.
Clinical psychologists build therapeutic rapport and advocate for their patient’s wellbeing. Forensic psychologists remain neutral. They do not advocate for either party. Their role is to present impartial, evidence-based findings to the court, even when those findings do not favor the person being assessed.
Forensic assessments also require more rigorous documentation than clinical work. Reports include detailed methodology descriptions, test score interpretations, analysis of all data sources, and explicit reasoning connecting evidence to conclusions. This level of documentation is necessary because forensic reports must survive cross-examination and challenges from opposing experts.
Many psychologists who primarily do clinical work lack the specialized training and courtroom experience that forensic work demands. At FC PsychExperts, every evaluator on our team holds doctoral-level forensic training and has testified in criminal, civil, and family court proceedings.
Why Jacksonville Attorneys and Families Choose FC PsychExperts
FC PsychExperts stands apart from other forensic psychology providers in Jacksonville because of our multi-psychologist team structure, combined decades of courtroom experience, and dual forensic-clinical expertise. Unlike solo practitioners, we match your case to the psychologist whose specific training and experience align with your legal questions.
A Team of Specialists, Not a Solo Practice
Most forensic psychology practices in Jacksonville are one-doctor offices. FC PsychExperts employs multiple doctoral-level psychologists with complementary specializations. Dr. Cathy Colet brings expertise in criminal, family, and immigration assessments, along with specialized custody evaluation training. Dr. Matthew J. Jalazo brings over two decades of forensic experience, including military psychology expertise from his tenure at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and as Chief of Adult Behavioral Health at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital. Dr. Lauren Miller, a Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist with nearly 20 years of experience, handles cases involving brain injury, cognitive impairment, and neurological conditions. This team structure means we can accept complex, multi-faceted cases that solo practitioners cannot.
Courtroom-Tested Expertise
Our psychologists have provided expert witness testimony across Florida’s trial and appellate courts. We prepare every assessment report knowing it may face cross-examination. Our testimony experience means we present complex psychological findings clearly and withstand legal challenges professionally. Attorneys who retain our services know that our assessments and testimony are built to hold up under pressure.
Military Families and Veterans
Jacksonville is home to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport, and a large veteran community. Dr. Jalazo’s military background includes coordinating behavioral health services for active-duty soldiers and their families, operational psychology experience in combat zones, and extensive work within the Department of Veterans Affairs system. No other forensic psychology provider in Jacksonville offers this depth of military psychology expertise. Whether your case involves a service member facing legal proceedings, a veteran navigating disability claims, or a military family in a custody dispute, our team understands the unique psychological dynamics of military life.
Serving Jacksonville, Duval County, and Northeast Florida
We work with criminal defense attorneys and public defenders who need competency assessments or mitigation reports. Prosecutors and state attorneys engage us when mental state or risk questions arise. Family law attorneys rely on our custody assessments and parental capacity reports. Immigration attorneys use our hardship and trauma documentation. Personal injury firms retain us for psychological damage assessments.
Beyond legal professionals, we serve individuals and families directly. Parents seeking custody assessments, accident victims documenting psychological injuries, individuals pursuing immigration relief, and families navigating guardianship decisions all benefit from our forensic psychology services.