Issues regarding a defendant's mental health frequently arise in criminal litigation.
The purpose of this brief article is to describe levels of consultation attorneys might employ when retaining the services of a forensic psychologist. At this level, the psychologist agrees to provide telephone consultation to the attorney in one or more calls as the case develops. The psychologist could also help to identify psychologists who have case-relevant expertise based on their published research. At this consultation level, the psychologist would not offer professional opinions about the defendant as it is improper and unethical to make statements about persons who have not been personally examined. Apart from fees for the psychologist's time, expenses at this level are expected to be low as the psychologist would not be traveling nor having direct contact with the defendant.