As a forensic psychology professional, you will most likely work within civil courts at some point; therefore, you must understand how to plan a prior (or, prior to) when conducting a forensic psychology evaluation. There are many methods for planning and conducting forensic psychology evaluations. However, certain steps are imperative and must be included in an evaluation to ensure that it is adequate. In this Discussion, you review forensic psychology evaluations applicable to the civil courts and learn how to plan for them. The "Keys to Evaluation Planning" document located in this week's Learning Resources provides information that is important to this and similar future assignments related to evaluation planning in criminal and juvenile courts.

an explanation of how you would plan for evaluation of the individual in the vignette you selected based on the information provided. Be very specific. Then explain what you think would be the most important aspects of that planning. Finally, explain what insights you have gained about evaluation planning.

Vignette 1

An attorney calls and tells you that her firm represents a textile company that makes men's suits. The company has a worker who has been employed there for 20 years, but he has been on long-term disability for 3 years due to the pain he experiences from carpal tunnel syndrome. More recently, the disabled employee has claimed to have additional problems with depression and panic attacks. The attorney tells you there were recent attempts to discontinue the employee's disability due to lack of medical necessity. The attorney requests an independent medical examination (IME).

Vignette 2

The treating psychologist of a police officer refers the officer to you for an evaluation. The police officer has been seeing the treating psychologist for work-related stress. The referring psychologist is concerned that the officer may present a risk of violence toward her supervisors, with whom she is very angry. The psychologist is not adept at evaluating such matters and thinks it may be a conflict of interest to be the officer's treatment provider and evaluator, thus prompting the referral to you to conduct a risk assessment evaluation on this police officer.