Forensic Psychologist In Pahokee, FL
Four licensed forensic psychologists qualified across six Florida judicial circuits, delivering Daubert-ready evaluations for attorneys, courts, and individuals in Pahokee, Belle Glade, South Bay, and the western Glades.
What Separates a Four-Psychologist Forensic Team from a Solo Examiner
Most forensic psychologists in South Florida work alone. A solo practitioner picks one lane (criminal, family, or civil) and refers the rest out.
FC PsychExperts operates differently. Four licensed forensic psychologists practice under one entity: Dr. Cathy Colet, Dr. Lauren Miller, Dr. Matthew Jalazo, and Dr. Christopher Beltran. Combined, the team holds over 60 years of forensic experience and has delivered more than 1,000 evaluations and testimonies across Florida courts. That depth means your case gets matched to the evaluator whose background fits the referral question, not whoever happens to be available.
Dr. Miller holds both a Psy.D. and a J.D., with board certification in neuropsychology from the American Board of Assessment Psychology (ABAP). When a case straddles neuropsychological injury and legal strategy (a TBI-related competency question, for instance), she doesn’t hand off to an outside neuropsychologist. The evaluation stays in-house, and the report speaks to both the clinical and legal dimensions without conflicting opinions from two separate providers.
The practice splits roughly 75% forensic and 25% clinical. That ratio matters. A practice weighted toward therapy occasionally takes a forensic case and writes a report that reads like a clinical chart note. FC PsychExperts writes forensic reports daily, structured from the first paragraph to withstand Daubert challenges under Florida Statute Section 90.702.
How Evaluations Are Built to Survive Cross-Examination
A forensic report that doesn’t document the chain from data collected to conclusion reached gets excluded before trial. Florida’s Daubert standard requires the methodology section to lay out the foundation for every opinion: what was measured, how, and why that instrument applies to the legal question at hand.
FC PsychExperts structures every evaluation around that requirement. Here’s what the process actually looks like:
Records review. Court orders, legal pleadings, medical records, prior psychological reports, and school records when relevant. Gaps in documentation are noted in the report. Opposing counsel will find them anyway. The evaluator gets there first.
Clinical interview and mental status exam. Structured, not conversational. The interview maps to the referral question: competency factors for a competency case, parenting capacity factors for a custody matter, hardship documentation for an immigration petition.
Validated testing. The standard battery includes the MMPI-3 and PAI for personality and psychopathology assessment. For malingering screening, the M-FAST and SIRS-2. Additional instruments are selected based on the specific referral question and follow professional consensus standards.
Collateral interviews. Family members, treating providers, attorneys, case managers, and other relevant contacts identified through the records review.
Interpretation, scoring, and report writing. Every opinion links back to a specific data source. The methodology section explains instrument selection and documents the chain from raw data to conclusions. Total clinical time runs approximately 10 hours.
Turnaround: 30 days from the final session. Rush availability under 14 days with advance scheduling.
Ready to Move Forward With Expert Forensic Psychology Services?
Whether you’re a legal professional seeking comprehensive psychological evaluation or an individual navigating court-ordered assessment, our experienced team provides the specialized support you need.
What It Costs and How the Retainer Works
Most forensic psychology practices in South Florida won’t discuss fees until you’re on the phone. Here’s how FC PsychExperts structures it.
A flat-fee retainer covers the full evaluation: records review, clinical interviews, psychological testing, scoring, interpretation, report writing, and one round of attorney consultation. You receive a written engagement letter before any work begins. It specifies scope, deliverables, the assigned evaluator, and the total retainer amount. No ambiguity about what you’re paying for.
Deposition and trial testimony are billed separately on an hourly basis with a half-day minimum. That separation keeps the evaluation cost fixed while reflecting the reality that testimony prep and courtroom time vary case to case.
Court-appointed evaluations follow fee structures set by the appointing court. Private retainer amounts depend on the evaluation type. A basic competency evaluation takes fewer clinical hours than a contested custody case involving multiple collateral sources and years of records to review.
The practice typically books three weeks out. For urgent matters (an approaching trial date, a competency question holding up proceedings), faster scheduling is available with advance notice.
Evaluation Types Attorneys and Courts in Pahokee Request
FC PsychExperts handles criminal, civil, family, and immigration forensic evaluations. The team has been retained by and testified for both sides (prosecution and defense, plaintiff and defense) across every category listed here.
Criminal evaluations. Competency to proceed (adult and juvenile), competency to waive Miranda rights, criminal responsibility (insanity defense), violence risk assessment, sexual behavior risk assessment, and mitigation evaluations for downward departures and diminished capacity. Dr. Colet served on the Operation Youth Violence Task Force in West Palm Beach County, working directly with law enforcement on cases involving juvenile offenders.
Family law evaluations. Child custody and time-sharing assessments following Florida Statute Section 61.13 factors, parental capacity evaluations, and attachment and bonding assessments. These cases tend to be the most document-heavy: school records, therapy notes, prior DCF involvement, and collateral interviews with contacts on both sides.
Civil and personal injury evaluations. Psychological damage assessments for motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence, rollover and catastrophic injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Dr. Colet’s background includes firsthand work at a Level 1 Trauma Center. The practice screens for malingering and exaggeration using validated instruments (SIRS-2 and M-FAST) on every personal injury case. Clinical impression alone doesn’t hold up on the stand.
Immigration evaluations. Extreme and exceptional hardship, political asylum, spousal abuse, VAWA, U-visa, T-visa, and competency to participate in immigration proceedings. FC PsychExperts evaluators travel to ICE detention centers, federal detention facilities, and correctional facilities across Florida for these cases. Same-sex couples hardship waivers are also within scope.
Neuropsychological evaluations. Cognitive functioning assessments for TBI, concussion, neurodegenerative conditions, and post-surgical changes. Dr. Miller’s dual Psy.D./J.D. training and ABAP board certification mean the neuropsychological findings are written in legal terms from the start, not translated after the fact.
Pre-employment screening. Psychological evaluations for police officer candidates, firefighters, corrections officers, and probation officers.
Meet the Team
Dr. Cathy Colet
Forensic PsychologistDr. Cathy Colet is a Licensed Clinical and Forensic Psychologist and founder of Forensic and Clinical PsychExperts, LLC.
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Dr. Lauren Miller
Clinical and Forensic NeuropsychologistDr. Miller has nearly 20 years of experience as a clinician, consultant, lecturer, and writer.
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Dr. Matthew J. Jalazo
Forensic PsychologistDr. Matthew J. Jalazo is a licensed psychologist who has practiced forensic psychology on a full-time basis for the last fifteen years.
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Dr. Christopher J. Beltran
Forensic PsychologistDr. Beltran is a Licensed Forensic Psychologist with over twenty-five years of experience in criminal and family law
Read MoreSituations That Bring Attorneys and Families to a Forensic Psychologist
- You’re defending a criminal case where competency to stand trial is in question. The court needs an independent evaluation before proceedings can move forward.
- A custody dispute has reached the point where the judge or your attorney is recommending a psychological evaluation to address parenting capacity and the child’s best interests under Section 61.13.
- You’ve been injured in an accident, and your attorney needs a psychological damage assessment to document cognitive and emotional impact for a personal injury claim. The defense will challenge anything that looks like exaggeration, so the evaluation needs to include validated malingering screening.
- An immigration case requires documented evidence of extreme hardship, and the evaluation needs to come from a psychologist who can travel to an ICE detention facility.
- A juvenile in the criminal justice system needs competency evaluation by a psychologist with specific adolescent forensic experience, not an adult-focused evaluator adapting on the fly.
- You’re a family law attorney preparing for trial in the 15th Circuit and need a forensic report that addresses the specific factors Palm Beach County judges apply in custody matters.
- A court-ordered evaluation requires a provider who can begin within three weeks and deliver a completed report within 30 days of the final session.
Forensic and Clinical Psychology Services
Our practice delivers comprehensive forensic psychology solutions tailored to support judicial and legal professionals. With a dedicated team of seasoned forensic psychologists, we provide customized evaluations, professional court testimony, strategic consulting services, and specialized educational programs designed to serve the unique demands of the legal field.
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Find out MoreServing Pahokee and Surrounding Communities
Our specialized forensic psychology services extend throughout Pahokee, Florida and the broader Palm Beach County region. We understand the unique needs of our local community and maintain convenient accessibility for legal professionals and individuals from Belle Glade to South Bay and all surrounding areas.
Located strategically to serve clients near Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding agricultural communities, our practice recognizes the diverse cultural backgrounds that characterize our region. We provide culturally sensitive forensic psychological evaluations that respect the rich heritage of families throughout the area while meeting rigorous legal standards.
Our team collaborates regularly with local attorneys, family court services, and criminal justice professionals throughout Palm Beach County. This community involvement ensures we understand local legal practices and court preferences, providing forensic psychology services that integrate seamlessly with regional legal proceedings.
Whether your case involves Pahokee municipal court matters or complex federal proceedings, our forensic psychology expertise supports legal professionals and individuals throughout our community. We take pride in contributing to justice and fair legal outcomes for families and individuals who call Palm Beach County home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a clinical psychologist and a forensic psychologist?
A clinical psychologist diagnoses and treats mental health conditions. A forensic psychologist applies psychological assessment to legal questions: competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, custody fitness, psychological damages, immigration hardship. The evaluator’s obligation runs to the court or the legal question, not to treating the person being assessed. FC PsychExperts operates at a 75/25 forensic-to-clinical ratio, which means the practice thinks in legal terms by default.
How long does a forensic psychological evaluation take?
Total clinical time averages roughly 10 hours across multiple sessions. That covers the clinical interview, mental status exam, psychological testing (MMPI-3, PAI, and instruments specific to the referral question), collateral interviews, and records review. A standard competency evaluation may require 2 to 4 hours of face-to-face time. Complex custody or personal injury evaluations can stretch across several weeks with multiple appointments. The written report follows within 30 days of the final session, or under 14 days with rush scheduling.
What assessment instruments does FC PsychExperts use?
The standard battery includes the MMPI-3 and PAI for personality and psychopathology, and the M-FAST and SIRS-2 for malingering screening. Additional instruments are selected based on the referral question and follow professional consensus standards. Florida’s Daubert standard (Section 90.702) requires forensic reports to document why each instrument was selected and how it applies to the legal question. The methodology section of every FC PsychExperts report addresses this directly.
Can the same psychologist who evaluates me also provide therapy?
No. Ethical guidelines prevent the same psychologist from acting as both evaluator and therapist for the same person. The forensic evaluator’s role is objective assessment for a legal purpose. FC PsychExperts includes treatment recommendations in evaluation reports and can refer to appropriate therapists when findings support it.
Does FC PsychExperts testify in court?
Yes. All four forensic psychologists are qualified expert witnesses and have testified across the 1st, 2nd, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 20th Judicial Circuits. The team has provided testimony for prosecution and defense, plaintiff and defense, in criminal, civil, family, and immigration proceedings. Testimony is billed separately from the evaluation with a half-day minimum. The practice requests 21 days’ notice for testimony scheduling and blocks trial dates at engagement for 15th Circuit matters.
How do I start the process?
Call 561-870-0411 for a free initial confidential consultation. The first conversation covers the referral question, what records are needed, and whether FC PsychExperts can provide an objective evaluation for this particular case. If the case fits, you’ll receive a written engagement letter specifying scope, deliverables, assigned evaluator, and retainer amount before any work begins.
Contact Your Trusted Forensic Psychologist In Pahokee, FL Today
When legal matters require psychological expertise, trust the experienced professionals at FC PsychExperts to provide comprehensive, reliable forensic psychological evaluations. Our commitment to professional excellence and thorough assessment ensures your case receives the expert analysis it deserves.
Don’t let complex psychological questions compromise your legal outcomes. Contact our forensic psychology team today to discuss your specific needs and discover how our specialized expertise can support your case. Every legal matter deserves thorough psychological evaluation from qualified professionals who understand both psychology and the law.
Schedule your consultation with Pahokee’s most trusted forensic psychologist and take the first step toward achieving the legal clarity your case requires.