The Mental Health Professional in Court: A Survival Guide

The Mental Health Professional in Court: A Survival Guide is designed to help mental health professionals become more knowledgeable about the settings, assumptions, personnel, issues, and techniques involved in going to court, with the aim of demystifying the legal process and reducing anxiety about this inherently stressful experience. A revised and expanded version of The Psychiatrist in Court: A Survival Guide, published more than 10 years ago, this volume was written with three goals in mind: to soothe, support, and educate through use of an informal and at times even lighthearted tone; to offer a consistent focus on practical rather than theoretical issues; and to present the necessary material succinctly and efficiently so that readers can assimilate it quickly and under pressure of an impending court appearance. The book puts the topic in context by presenting the basics of the legal process and roles, then follows the chronology of responding to a subpoena, determining the kind of witness the reader may be asked to be, working with an attorney, preparing for a courtroom appearance, and identifying specific strategies for testifying. Well-written, astute, and supportive, this is the book mental health professionals should rely on when facing this potentially unnerving challenge.