Opinion ID: 4514756
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Methods Dr. Storer Used to

Text: Evaluate Dickerson’s Competency ¶25. Dickerson argues that because Dr. Storer failed to perform any standard tests for competency, specifically the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool - Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA), his report on Dickerson’s competency is inaccurate and should not be relied upon by the trial court. Once again, the State argues that because Dickerson failed to cite any authority to support his argument, the issue is procedurally barred and the Court is under no duty to review it. The State also argues that Dickerson waived review of this issue by failing to object to Dr. Storer’s methods before or during the competency hearing. The State further argues that because Dickerson stipulated his acceptance of Dr. Storer as an expert in the fields of clinical and forensic psychology, he is barred from raising issue with the methods used. Notwithstanding these procedural bars, the methods and test Dr. Storer administered during his evaluation were reliable. ¶26. Dickerson claims that the MacCAT-CA is the best known and most widely used test by practitioners when competency is at issue. Dickerson asserts that the MacCAT-CA is an evaluation procedure used to determine a defendant’s ability to understand the nature of the proceedings. Dr. Storer claims, however, that the MacCAT-CA does not apply here. ¶27. Dr. Storer testified the MacCAT-CA is intended to assess a defendant’s competency to stand trial only and that it is not intended to assess any other types or levels of competency. He also testified that he believes that competency to proceed in post-conviction proceedings is very different from competency to stand trial because of the difference in the required 12 abilities to perform varying types of tasks at each stage. Accordingly, Dr. Storer testified that he would only administer the MacCAT-CA in an evaluation to assess competency to stand trial and not in an assessment of any other level or sort of competency, including competency to proceed in post-conviction proceedings. Instead of the MacCAT-CA, Dr. Storer administered the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to Dickerson in order to obtain objective information for diagnostic clarification. Dr. Storer’s written report states that “[t]he PAI is a self-administered, objective inventory of adult personality designed to provide information on critical clinical variables.” Dr. Storer noted that he “would have loved to have given a direct measure of competence, but there is no competence assessment measure that directly looks at post-conviction competence.” ¶28. Dr. Storer’s failure to administer a test designed strictly for determining competency to stand trial did not render his opinion regarding Dickerson’s competency to proceed in postconviction proceedings incorrect or unreliable. Therefore, the trial court’s finding was not manifestly against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. ¶29. We find each error Dickerson alleges Dr. Storer committed in his evaluation of Dickerson to be without merit. The trial court properly considered Dr. Storer’s report.