Understanding CFI or PRE Reports in a Colorado Custody Battle with John Zervopoulos | Episode 23

Understanding the Role of Mental Health Experts in Family Law: Evaluating Custody Evaluations In this episode of Divorce at Altitude, Ryan Kalamaya is joined by Dr. John Zervopoulos, a board-certified forensic psychologist, to discuss the role of mental health professionals in child custody evaluations. Dr. Zervopoulos, a seasoned consultant with over 400 forensic cases, introduces his PLAN Model, a four-step tool for evaluating mental health reports in divorce cases.He explains how attorneys can assess an expert's qualifications, methods, reasoning, and recommendations to ensure the reliability of custody evaluations. Listeners will learn how to evaluate expert credibility, identify biases, and strengthen their legal arguments in custody disputes.Guest Information Dr. John Zervopoulos is a board-certified forensic psychologist and lawyer, helping family law attorneys navigate mental health expert testimony. He developed the PLAN Model, a tool for evaluating mental health reports, with over 400 forensic cases and 100+ expert qualifications.Episode Outline Introduction to Dr. John Zervopoulos Ryan introduces Dr. Zervopoulos, who developed the PLAN Model for evaluating child custody evaluations and mental health expert reports.Step 1: Expert Qualifications The importance of assessing the qualifications of mental health professionals, including their training and specialty areas.Step 2: Methods and Reliability Evaluating the methods used in psychological evaluations, including interviews, testing, and collateral sources.Step 3: Analyzing Conclusions and Inferences Understanding the reasoning behind expert conclusions and ensuring they align with professional standards.Step 4: Opinions and Recommendations Assessing the practical application of expert recommendations and ensuring they are realistic and grounded in the evaluation’s findings.Cross-Examining Mental Health Experts Dr. Zervopoulos offers tips for lawyers on how to effectively cross-examine mental health experts in divorce and custody cases.What is Divorce at Altitude? Ryan Kalamaya and Amy Goscha provide tips and recommendations on issues related to divorce, separation, and co-parenting in Colorado. Ryan and Amy are the founding partners of an innovative and ambitious law firm, Kalamaya | Goscha, that pushes the boundaries to discover new frontiers in family law, personal injuries, and criminal defense in Colorado. To subscribe to Divorce at Altitude, click here and select your favorite podcast player. To subscribe to Kalamaya | Goscha's YouTube channel where many of the episodes will be posted as videos, click here.  If you have additional questions or would like to speak to one of our attorneys, give us a call at 970-429-5784 or email us at [email protected].************************************************************************DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS ON THIS PODCAST IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE. CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE OR AREA TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY OF THESE ISSUES.