Our Services
Forensic and Clinical PsychExperts, LLC conducts court-ordered and attorney-retained psychological evaluations for cases filed in St. Lucie County and across Florida’s 19th Judicial Circuit. Florida license PY9058. Practicing since 2008, with thousands of assessments completed for defense attorneys, prosecutors and the courts.
Competency is not an open-ended question in a Florida criminal case. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.210(b), the court may order a defendant evaluated by no more than 3 experts, and absent good cause the final competency hearing is held no later than 45 days from the motion date. That 45-day window sets the schedule for every referral we take: when the interview happens, when records have to be in hand, and when the written report has to be filed.
We handle criminal law evaluations including competency to proceed, criminal responsibility, and mitigation for downward departures. Our forensic evaluations cover competency to waive Miranda rights, violence risk assessment, and psychosexual and sexual risk assessment for adults and juveniles. Each examination follows the scope set by Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.211, which requires the examiner to address 6 named capacities: appreciating the charges or allegations, appreciating the range and nature of possible penalties, understanding the adversary nature of the legal process, disclosing pertinent facts to counsel, manifesting appropriate courtroom behavior, and testifying relevantly. A report that skips 1 of the 6 is a report that can be sent back. Every assessment follows protocols recognized by Florida’s Board of Psychology and the standards set by the American Psychological Association.
Civil law cases draw on our personal or emotional injury evaluations, independent medical examinations, and immigration evaluations. We conduct guardianship assessments, civil commitment evaluations, and psychological autopsies where a suicide question is in issue. Family law matters cover parental capacity assessment, social investigations, and custody evaluations that address the children’s best interests.
Juvenile cases run on a different statute, and the difference catches attorneys out. Juvenile competency is governed by section 985.19, Florida Statutes, which requires the court to appoint not fewer than 2 and no more than 3 experts, and requires the evaluator to have completed juvenile competency training approved by the Department of Children and Families. An adult forensic credential on its own does not qualify an examiner for a juvenile case. We assess competence to proceed for minors, violence and sexual risk, and sexual behavior. Our clinical psychological evaluations also serve the Department of Juvenile Justice and the community-based care lead agencies that contract with the state.
Why Choose Us?
A credential list will not tell you whether the examiner is still on Florida’s active forensic evaluator list. That is the first thing to check.
The answer changed this year. Under section 916.115(1), Florida Statutes, a court-appointed expert must be a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist or physician, and must have completed initial and annual forensic evaluator training provided by the Department of Children and Families. Evaluators already practicing as of July 1, 2024 had until July 1, 2026 to complete the department’s annual training to stay on that list. That deadline has passed. Before you retain anyone for a 19th Circuit case, ask when they last completed the department’s training. It is a fair question and it takes 1 email to answer.
Selecting a qualified forensic psychologist also means checking concentration. Our practice devotes 75 percent of its work to forensic assessment rather than accepting the occasional case between therapy hours. That is why a change like the one above is not news to us.
We hold memberships in the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and the American Psychological Association. Our reports and testimony follow the APA specialty guidelines for forensic psychology. Our expert witness testimony has been presented in Florida’s 1st, 15th, 17th, 19th and 20th judicial circuits.
Every evaluation follows objective, systematic procedures built on validated psychological testing instruments and structured clinical interviews. Our neuropsychological evaluations add cognitive assessment batteries when brain function is in question. Psychoeducational testing identifies learning factors that bear on legal competencies.
Dr. Cathy Colet, Psy.D., has worked for both prosecution and defense. Courts get the opinion the data supports, not the opinion the retaining party wanted. Since May 2019, expert testimony in Florida has been admitted under the Daubert standard codified at section 90.702, Florida Statutes, so an evaluation has to hold up on method as well as on conclusion.
Take The Next Step In Your Case
The 45-day competency clock starts on the motion date, not on the day you call.
Work backward from it. Rule 3.211 requires the written report to identify the specific matters referred, describe the procedures, techniques and tests used, state findings and opinions on each referred issue, name every source of information and the factual basis behind each opinion, and explain why less restrictive treatment alternatives would not meet the defendant’s needs. The 2025 amendments to Chapter 916 tightened that last element, directing evaluators to weigh community-based treatment availability before recommending involuntary hospitalization. None of that fits into the week before a hearing.
Reach us through our contact page to discuss the matter. We respond promptly to attorney inquiries, and we tell you on the first call whether the hearing date is realistic. If it is not, you hear that before you retain us. Our offices are open Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Early consultation lets us confirm the referral question, select the assessment battery, and book the interview around the court’s calendar rather than against it.
Our Proven Process
Before any of it starts, run The 4-Document Referral Check. All 4 in hand at the first appointment usually keeps an evaluation on a single schedule. Missing items usually mean a second appointment.
- The court order or the referral question in writing. Rule 3.211 requires the report to identify the specific matters referred, so “check his competency” said over the phone is not a referral question.
- Charging documents and the police report. These establish what the defendant has to be able to appreciate, which is capacity 1 of the 6.
- Prior mental health, treatment and school records. The expert has to name every source relied on. A record the examiner never received is a gap opposing counsel will find.
- A current medication list and the treating provider. Medication status on the day of the interview changes what the interview measures.
Knowing what to expect from forensic psychological services helps attorneys and their clients prepare. Our evaluation begins with case consultation. We review the referral questions, the legal issues, and the specific competencies requiring assessment, and we set scope, timeline and fee structure at that point.
Clinical interviews carry the assessment. We conduct structured diagnostic interviews, mental status examinations, and targeted questioning tied to the legal referral question. Sessions typically span several hours and may run across more than 1 appointment. We gather developmental history, psychiatric treatment history, educational background, and the life events that inform psychological functioning.
Testing selection follows the referral question. Competency evaluations use instruments that measure legal understanding and decision-making capacity. Risk assessments use actuarial tools validated for violence or sexual recidivism. Custody evaluations may include personality inventories, parenting measures and child interviews. Our therapy services background informs how we read treatment amenability and progress.
Collateral review is where validity is won or lost. We examine police reports, medical records, school documents and prior psychological evaluations, and we interview family members, treatment providers or other relevant parties where appropriate. Opinions rest on multiple data sources rather than a single interview.
Report preparation turns the findings into conclusions a court can use. We explain psychological concepts in language judges and juries follow while holding scientific rigor, address each referral question, detail methodology, present test results, and state opinions with the certainty the data supports and no more.
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
How To Check A Forensic Psychologist Before You Retain One
Any forensic psychologist’s qualifications are checkable in about 10 minutes. Here is where to look.
License status. Florida’s Board of Psychology publishes license status and disciplinary history for every licensed psychologist in the state. Ours is PY9058, held since 2008.
Forensic evaluator training. The Department of Children and Families maintains the statewide forensic evaluator list under section 916.115(1)(c), Florida Statutes, and supplies it to the Office of the State Courts Administrator, which distributes it to the circuits. Appearing on that list is not the same as holding a contract with a given circuit’s court administration, and the 2 get confused often.
Court acceptance. The Florida Supreme Court system depends on qualified forensic mental health professionals in competency, commitment and capital matters. Ask any examiner which circuits have qualified them and in what case types. Ours are Florida’s 1st, 15th, 17th, 19th and 20th.
Professional standing. The Florida Psychological Association sets practice expectations for psychologists working in the state. For general mental health information outside a legal matter, Mental Health America is a national nonprofit resource.
A limit worth stating plainly: no forensic psychologist can tell you what the opinion will be before the evaluation is done. Anyone who does is not doing forensic work.
Common Situations We Address
- You face criminal charges and your attorney questions whether you understand the proceedings or can assist in your defense
- Your child has been accused of a serious juvenile offense and the court requires a competency assessment before trial
- You are in a custody dispute and need an objective evaluation of parenting capacity and the children’s best interests
- Your divorce involves allegations of abuse and the court has ordered psychological evaluation of all parties
- You suffered emotional trauma in an accident and need documentation of psychological injury for a civil case
- Immigration proceedings require evidence of psychological hardship or persecution trauma for your application
- A family member faces involuntary commitment and you need expert assessment of dangerousness or treatment needs
- Defense strategy includes a possible insanity defense and requires evaluation of mental state at the time of the offense
- Sentencing is approaching and mitigation requires psychological evaluation of developmental trauma or mental illness
- A workers’ compensation claim includes psychological components requiring independent medical examination by a qualified psychologist
Serving Port St. Lucie And Surrounding Areas
The 19th Judicial Circuit covers 4 counties: St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee. St. Lucie County runs 2 courthouses. The main courthouse sits at 218 S 2nd Street in Fort Pierce. The courthouse annex, at 250 NW Country Club Drive in Port St. Lucie, is where most Port St. Lucie matters are heard, and the circuit’s trial court administration offices are in that same building.
That distinction drives scheduling. A hearing at the Fort Pierce courthouse and a hearing at the Port St. Lucie annex sit in different parts of the county and can mean a different judge’s calendar, so we confirm which building the case is in before we book the interview.
We serve St. Lucie County and the wider Treasure Coast as a service-area practice, with evaluations conducted at our offices and, where a case requires it, at correctional facilities and ICE detention centers. About our practice and our full service offerings cover our qualifications, staff and assessment capabilities in more detail. For matters filed at the main courthouse, our Fort Pierce forensic psychology page covers the same work at that location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a forensic psychologist different from a regular therapist?
A forensic psychologist evaluates; a therapist treats. Clinical psychologists work on symptom reduction inside a confidential treatment relationship. Forensic psychologists conduct evaluations for legal proceedings, assess legal competencies, write reports for courts, and testify. There is a second difference that matters more in practice: the same psychologist should not be both your treating therapist and the court’s evaluator in the same matter. That dual role compromises both, and a competent examiner will decline it. Our training centers on legal standards, assessment validity and objective evaluation rather than a therapeutic alliance, which is what keeps the opinion answerable to the referral question instead of to a party.
How long does a typical forensic evaluation take?
Most evaluations involve 2 to 4 hours of direct clinical contact, plus testing, record review, collateral interviews and report writing. A straightforward competency screening can be short. A contested custody evaluation or a complex criminal responsibility assessment runs across multiple sessions over several weeks. The outer limit in a criminal competency case is set by the court, not by us: Rule 3.210(b) puts the final hearing no later than 45 days from the motion date absent good cause. We give a time estimate at the first consultation once the referral question is clear.
Will my evaluation be confidential?
No, and that is the most important thing to understand before you start. A forensic evaluation is not therapy. Where the court orders the assessment, the results belong to the referring party or the court, not to the person being evaluated. Reports go to attorneys, courts or other designated recipients. Statements made during the interview can appear in the report and in testimony. We explain these limits before the examination begins so participation is informed.
What should I bring to my forensic evaluation appointment?
Bring The 4-Document Referral Check above: the court order or written referral question, the charging documents and police report, prior psychological, psychiatric, medical and school records, and a current medication list with your treating providers. Add important dates and events related to the legal matter. For a custody evaluation, bring the children’s school, activity and schedule information. Rule 3.211 requires the report to name every source of information relied on, so a record that arrives after the interview is a record that may need a second appointment to use properly.
How much does a forensic psychological evaluation cost?
Fees depend on the evaluation type, its complexity, and whether testimony or deposition attendance is required. Records review, collateral interviews and court appearances are priced separately from the evaluation itself. We discuss fee structure at first contact and provide a written fee agreement before the evaluation begins. Where the court appoints the expert, the circuit’s established fee schedule applies, and section 916.115(2)(g), Florida Statutes, conditions payment on the report and testimony explicitly addressing each statutory factor. An incomplete report is not a billable report.
Contact Our Forensic Psychology Practice Today
Tell us the charge or the case type, the court, and the hearing date. We will tell you whether the evaluation fits the calendar and what it needs to be admissible.
Forensic and Clinical PsychExperts, LLC serves St. Lucie County and the Treasure Coast from offices open Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Reach us through our contact form or call the office directly.