Services and Specialties
Forensic Psychiatry Services
Expert mental health services at the intersection of law and psychiatry
Forensic Psychiatry Services
At UC Davis Health, Division of Psychiatry and the Law, our forensic psychiatrists provide specialized psychiatric evaluations and consultations across a wide range of legal contexts. We work with courts, attorneys, government agencies, and families to deliver evidence-based assessments with clarity, objectivity, and compassion.
Services We Provide
Psychiatric evaluations related to:
- Personal injury and emotional distress
- Exposure to harmful substances
- Loss of a parent or loved one
Assessments for:
- Testamentary capacity (ability to make a will)
- Guardianship and conservatorship
- Impaired professionals
- Harassment (sexual or racial)
- Disability-related claims (ADA)
- Competency evaluations (to waive rights, stand trial, sentencing)
- Insanity defense assessments (criminal responsibility)
- Risk assessments (e.g., future dangerousness)
- Mental health mitigation evaluations
- Consultation on psychiatric care standards in jails and prisons
- Child custody evaluations (based on the best interests of the child)
- Parenting capacity assessments
- Termination of parental rights evaluations
Comprehensive second opinions for agencies on:
- Diagnosis
- Treatment planning
- Prognosis
- Return-to-work evaluations (children and adults)
Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment evaluations for youth.
Assessments for:
- Treatment amenability
- Transfer to adult court
- Competency in delinquency or adult proceedings
- Insanity defense in juvenile cases
In-depth analysis of medical records to determine:
- Whether a clinician breached the standard of psychiatric care
- Whether that breach resulted in harm
Who We Serve
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- Courts (criminal, civil, juvenile, and family)
- Attorneys and legal professionals
- Child protective services
- Schools and academic institutions
- Hospitals and mental health systems
- Government and correctional agencies
- Employers and disability insurers
- Individuals and families navigating legal matters
Service Contact
If you are a law firm, private attorney, or other agency seeking to retain one of the UC Davis forensic psychiatry faculty regarding a legal matter, please contact David Spagnolo, Forensic Psychiatry Program Manager.