Preliminary call and conflict check
A brief conversation about the legal question, the posture of the case, and the timeline. No privileged material should be shared until a conflict check clears.
Forensic Services
Independent psychiatric evaluation and expert testimony.
Dr. Jones accepts retention from plaintiff and defense counsel, insurers, government agencies, licensing boards, and institutional clients. Examinations are conducted in person or remotely, nationwide. Retention is coordinated through Park Dietz & Associates.
Approach
Opinions are built from records, collateral sources, and direct examination.
A forensic psychiatric opinion differs from a clinical impression. It is a reasoned argument built from records, collateral sources, and direct examination, and it must withstand adversarial scrutiny.
Engagements begin with a full record review before any examination is scheduled. Opinions are stated to a reasonable degree of medical certainty where the evidence supports that standard, and qualified where it does not. Alternative explanations are addressed directly, which is generally what determines whether a report withstands cross-examination.
He will decline a matter where the available material cannot support a defensible opinion, and will say so at the outset.
Scope
Matters accepted
01 · Criminal
Criminal responsibility and competency
Evaluations for prosecution and defense at every stage, from pretrial competency through capital sentencing.
- Competency to stand trial and restoration
- Criminal responsibility, insanity, and guilty but mentally ill
- Diminished capacity and mens rea
- Competency to waive Miranda and to confess
- Mitigation and sentencing evaluations
- Competency for execution
- Violence risk and threat assessment
- Post-conviction and habeas psychiatric issues
02 · Civil & Tort
Malpractice, causation, and damages
Standard of care and causation opinions informed by direct experience running the clinical services at issue.
- Psychiatric and behavioral health malpractice
- Standard of care in inpatient and outpatient settings
- Failure to assess, failure to hospitalize, premature discharge
- Inpatient and post-discharge suicide
- Medication management and informed consent
- Sexual and non-sexual boundary violations
- Emotional distress and psychiatric damages
- Testamentary capacity, undue influence, guardianship
03 · Employment & Licensure
Fitness for duty and impaired professionals
Particular depth with physicians and other licensed professionals, including medical board referrals.
- Fitness for duty evaluations
- Impaired physicians and licensed professionals
- Competency to practice medicine
- Medical board and licensing body referrals
- Direct threat and dangerousness assessment
- ADA reasonable accommodation questions
- Workplace violence and threat management
- Workers' compensation psychiatric claims
04 · Disability & IME
Independent medical examinations
Psychiatric IMEs for insurers, employers, and counsel, including large multi-claimant volumes.
- Psychiatric independent medical examinations
- Short- and long-term disability
- Social Security disability
- Records-only review and file assessment
- Malingering and symptom validity considerations
- Return-to-work and functional capacity opinions
- Multi-plaintiff and multi-jurisdiction IME programs
05 · Correctional & Institutional
Conditions of confinement
Direct operational experience running forensic hospitals and high-security psychiatric units.
- Conditions of confinement and Eighth Amendment claims
- Adequacy of jail and prison mental health care
- Deliberate indifference analysis
- Custodial and post-release suicide
- Segregation and restrictive housing
- Juvenile detention and youth facility conditions
- Use of force and restraint involving mental illness
- Involuntary medication and Sell / Harper issues
06 · Systems & Compliance
Institutional and regulatory review
Consultation for agencies and health systems under review, monitoring, or settlement.
- CRIPA and DOJ settlement agreement compliance
- Consent decree monitoring and expert review
- State behavioral health system evaluation
- Hospital peer review and quality investigations
- Utilization management and medical necessity
- Sentinel event and root cause analysis
- Policy, program, and staffing adequacy review
Engagement
How a matter typically proceeds
Retention
Engagement terms, fee schedule, and retainer are set through Park Dietz & Associates, which coordinates Dr. Jones's forensic work.
Record review
Medical, institutional, employment, and legal records; depositions; collateral sources. Gaps in the record are identified and requested before examination.
Examination
In person or by secure video, at a correctional facility, hospital, counsel's office, or other appropriate setting. Collateral interviews as indicated.
Preliminary impressions
Verbal findings before anything is written, so counsel knows the likely opinion before a report is drafted.
Written report and testimony
A report structured for the legal question presented, with the reasoning shown. Deposition and trial testimony as the matter requires.
Fee schedule. Rates for record review, examination, report preparation, deposition, and trial testimony are available from Park Dietz & Associates, along with travel and cancellation terms. A retainer is required before work begins.
Retention
Retention runs through Park Dietz & Associates.
A short call about the legal question is usually enough to determine whether he is the right expert for the matter. PD&A will run the conflict check and set terms.