It is without doubt that a psychology report is frequently a fundamental component to a given court case. Not only can a psychology report give direction when a solicitor forms their case, it can support fair trial for their client when shared with the court. With such emphasis on the psychology report, it is unsurprising that when a solicitor appoints a psychology expert witness, they will want a psychology report delivered to them as soon as possible. Foresight Clinical Services are providers of the most targeted UK psychology expert witnesses and as such our case managers assist solicitors daily in appointing the best suited expert for their case. One of the most frequently asked questions is; how fast is the turnaround for a psychology report? This week, we want to address this, as well as taking a closer look at what a psychology report includes.

The Varied Role of a Psychology Expert Witness

A psychology expert witness may be instructed for a multitude of cases and for a vast range of reasons. For example, a forensic psychology expert witness may be required for a criminal defence case or a child psychology expert witness instructed for child protection purposes. Provided their expertise is directly related to a given case, the appointed psychology expert witness is able to deploy their profound understanding of the mind, motivations, and behaviour in order to provide significant evidence which can be used directly by the solicitor in forming their case. In short, the psychology expert witness’s ability to interpret the existing evidence and provide new evidence is a necessity that a solicitor, who does not share their knowledge bank, would simply not have access to.

What is Included in a Psychology Report for Court?

Unsurprisingly, the composition of a psychology report is dependent upon the report that has been requested. Since these can differ drastically, from an assessment of cognitive development and the manifestation of behaviour problems to a fitness to plead report which analyses an individual’s capacity to partake in and comprehend court proceedings, the reports also differ drastically. With that said, all psychology reports for court will document the evaluation of existing evidence, the methodology of any client assessments, and the conclusions drawn by the psychologist expert witness.

When Will I Receive my Psychology Report for Court?

Psychology is a complex and intricate discipline, and psychology assessments are similarly so. In order to provide a detailed psychology report for court, it may be necessary to schedule a number of meetings for assessments, and provide time for an in-depth evaluation of the existing evidence as well as the final write up. The speed at which you will receive a psychology report for court will differ between psychology expert witnesses and expert witness providers. Therefore, when appointing a psychology expert witness it is imperative that you ask if they can produce a psychology report for court with enough time to prepare the case around it. Naturally, the sooner you ask, the sooner you get, but with pressing deadlines, that is not useful information. Some expert witness providers will be able to suggest psychology expert witnesses who can provide a psychology report at short notice.

A Psychology Report with Foresight

As expert witness providers, we understand a fast turnaround on a psychology report is crucial. We also understand that a psychology report must be accurate, comprehensive and must meet or exceed the strict standards. Should you require a psychology report before our four week norm, let your dedicated case manager know and we will ensure that your deadline is met. Get in touch today and receive your hand-picked psychology expert witness CV within 24 hours.