Medico-Legal Services

Medico-legal work bridges clinical psychology and the legal system. As registered clinical psychologists, we provide objective, evidence-based psychological evaluations and expert opinions to assist courts and legal professionals in resolving complex family law and child protection matters.

Unlike therapeutic interventions, the primary goal of a medico-legal assessment is to provide an independent, impartial analysis of an individual's psychological state to assist the court in making informed decisions.

Key Areas of Expertise

• Family Law Matters: Evaluating family dynamics, parental fitness, and care and contact arrangements to support the best interests of the child.
• Child Abuse & Trauma: Assessing the psychological impact of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, neglect, and trauma in minors.
• Care and Contact Assessments: Providing comprehensive evaluations to assist courts in determining optimal custody, residence, and visitation structures.
• Expert Testimony: Delivering formal psychological reports and expert witness testimony in formal legal and court proceedings.

Our Approach

Every assessment is conducted with the highest level of clinical objectivity, ethical integrity, and adherence to statutory guidelines. We utilize validated psychometric tools, comprehensive clinical interviews, and thorough collateral reviews to deliver robust, legally defensible reports.

Instruction & Report Guidelines

• Formal Request Required: Legal professionals must submit a formal written request to instruct our practice or initiate a referral.
• Comprehensive Reporting: We do not release partial findings. All psychometric evaluation results, clinical observations, and assessment data are consolidated and delivered exclusively within the final written report.
• Turnaround Time: The report is typically finalized within 7 to 14 days, depending on the specific particulars and complexity of the case.

Fees and Financial Policy

• Hourly Billing: Services are charged at an hourly rate.
• Estimated Cost: Total costs can exceed R8,000 depending on the hours required for interviews, psychometric testing, collateral review, and report drafting.
• Settlement Policy: A detailed cost estimate is provided upon receiving formal written instruction. Please note that the final written report will be released only once the account has been settled in full.