Expert Witness Psychiatrists
Over 700 psychiatric assessments completed in 12 months
Specialist psychiatric reports for legal proceedings
We have a number of psychiatrists working with our service who are able to provide assessments to clients across the UK.
Over the past year we have completed numerous psychiatric assessments within Family and Criminal Law Proceedings and for use by Local Authorities, Panels and Tribunals.
Conditions and issues our psychiatrists assess
Our psychiatrists assess children, young people and adults to provide advice and recommendations on the following issues and conditions:
- Capacity
- Parenting Mental Health
- Personality disorder
- Trauma
- Forensic risk
- Risk
- Substance Misuse
- Treatment Recommendations
- Immigration
- Culture
- Neglect
- Depression
- Fitness to plead
- Eating disorders
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
In addition to this, each of our psychiatrists has a number of unique specialisms which we use to determine their suitability for every case.
Ready to make a referral?
It only takes 5 minutes, an expert pack with CVs, costs and timescales can be sent to you in as little as 30 minutes if you’re at court.
How can an expert witness psychiatrist help with your case?
An expert witness psychiatrist can help with your case if criminal activity is suspected to have been influenced or caused by a mental illness. They will complete assessments which will help courts, tribunals and professionals to understand an individual’s mental health, and how they function and behave. You might need an expert witness psychiatrist to:
- Complete mental health assessments to identify psychiatric conditions and how they may affect an individual.
- Assess capacity to determine if an individual can understand proceedings.
- Evaluate if an individual is a risk to themselves or others, or at risk of exploitation.
- Carry out parenting mental health assessments to evaluate how a parents mental health affects their ability to care for a child.
- Assess whether an individual is fit to plead or participate in a trial.
- Assess the impact of trauma.
- Provide specialist opinions in immigration or asylum cases.
- Recommend treatment or support.
Expert witness psychiatrists are recognised and respected by the court due to their professional qualifications, meaning that they can attend court to present their findings and give independent medical evidence, and advise on where and how an individual should serve their sentence, such as in a secure psychiatric hospital or in prison.
Having an expert witness psychiatrist will ensure fair and informed decision-making for vulnerable offenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an expert witness?
An expert witness is someone who has knowledge not normally possessed by the average person concerning the topic that he is to testify about. Their duty is to assist the court in making their decisions.
Where are you based?
Our head office is in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, but we are able to offer assessments and ongoing support nationwide through our national network of experts.
For more details and to get in touch, see our Contact Us page.
Who are Carter Brown?
Carter Brown was established in 2001 as a company to provide expert witnesses for family law cases. Since then we have expanded the range of assessments we provide and the services we offer. For more information please see our About Us page.
Do you have any experts that speak languages other than English?
Carter Brown has numerous assessors who speak a variety of languages, ranging from French to Mandarin.
What are your timescales?
Our assessors are very flexible on timescales and the majority can accommodate very quick turnarounds from instruction to reporting.
Can I have a hard copy of a report?
We always provide reports electronically for speed and efficiency. Each report will have a digitally-captured signature. However, if you do require a hard copy signature, this can be arranged.
How are the team trained?
Our QA team have received extensive training on a variety of topics including what makes a good expert assessment, independent social work assessments, giving constructive feedback, formatting and layout of reports. All team members undergo an intensive induction process, whereby following a period of independent reading of anonymised reports their work is checked by a more experienced member of staff and case by case feedback offered. All of our ‘in house’ training for the team is delivered via interactive exercises, case vignettes and group discussion with a strong focus on making assessments as robust as they can possibly be.
All members of the team have also received training from the Society for Editors and Proofreaders regarding onscreen editing or proof reading.
What does QA do and does this cost me extra?
Our dedicated and highly trained Quality Assurance team will ensure the quality of each report. They will read each assessment and provide comprehensive feedback to the assessor regarding spelling, grammar, formatting and content. This doesn’t cost the client anything extra – it’s all part of our service to you.
Where can our expert witness psychiatrists help?
Why choose Carter Brown experts?
Founded in 2001 by two Children’s Guardians, who recognised a need for robust, evidence-based assessments within family proceedings. Carter Brown are one of the UK’s leading multidisciplinary assessment service, providing assessments, consultancy and training to Solicitors, Local Authorities, Organisations and the courts.
Referrals
We make referring to us quick and easy. Our team of experienced Referrals Coordinators will individually match your assessment brief with up to 3 experts based on your case’s unique requirements. As part of the referral process, you’ll receive CVs, timescales and costings within just 2 hours. Or if a quicker turnaround is needed, in as little as 30 minutes. You can make a referral by phone, email or use our convenient online form.
Case Management
Your time matters so that’s why we provide a fully managed service from the point of referral to report submission. Our dedicated team of Case Handlers will request medical records and be your go-to for anything related to your case, prior to the submission of the expert’s report. They will also establish experts’ availability to attend professionals’ meetings or court hearings, so that you have all the information you need to hand, providing you with regular detailed updates throughout, ensuring your case stays on track.
Quality
Experts
Our experts each undergo a rigorous recruitment process which ensures they are appropriately experienced, qualified and regulated from day one. This process is overseen by our in-house recruitment team who are continuously sourcing new experts to expand our offering, ensuring we maintain our nationwide coverage showcasing the best possible expertise.
Timely Reports
We know time matters and the impact delays can have. That’s why we proudly deliver 98% of our reports on or ahead of the filing date.
Value
We offer a transparent pricing structure; We provide expert witness assessments within Legal Aid Agency guidelines and in line with LAA-prescribed hourly rates. Work can also be completed on a fixed fee basis or with volume discounts applied – get in touch to find out more.