psychiatric evaluation

I can share my experiences with this topic. It partly depends on where you live, the evaluator etc. My daughter went through one because the ExN wanted her opinions to not matter. If she was shown to have emotional problems or disorders, much less credence would be given to her desires. Still waiting for the written report but the Evaluator told her she wasn't the one with the problems in the issues with her dad. If you request this through the court and the judge orders it there is usually what they call the "scope" of the evaluation. Basically that is the purpose of it. In your case to see if he's fit to be around the kids unsupervised. The most important factor will be the evaluator. If you are doing this with your lawyer, find one or two evaluators that are very familiar with N's. Put their names in your pleading and request the court appoint one of them. Sometimes there is a court approved list but sometimes you can get one that isn't on the list. Luckily for us the one appointed to us was very well versed in DV, N's, and all the sickness that goes with it. The Evaluator will interview everyone they feel is important to the case. They can conduct tests, etc, have access to all legal records etc. Ours had me bring anything i thought was important to the case. I tried to bring stuff that was currently or most recently happening. But I also touched on the long term topics that had been going on for years. Don't assume they will read through all the records from court, lawyers, hospitals. I suggest you bring those records that you feel are the most important from all of those places that will show he's unfit. They want proof. None of them will get into the "he said, she said" thing much. They all want to cover their asses too; the lawyers, the judges, and the evaluators. Don't give them anything either on paper or verbally that will make you look unstable, because we all know the N's are going to lie their butts off. They will look at at body language a lot and interaction. I don't know how old your kids are off the top of my head but they might interview the kids with each of you and look at that interaction. If there are people whom you feel can substantially give information, ask that they be interviewed. The closer and longer they have been involved, the more likely the chance the evaluator will talk to them. They can also write letters on your behalf and you can give them to the evaluator. It can take weeks to get through all the info gathering, testing, and interviews, then weeks to get the report. Be patient and your lawyer can call on occasion to get updates or check on the process. It will go to the court, and the lawyers. Our evaluator said he would also be happy to discuss the report with any of us after he'd finished it, which I think will be helpful too. Hope that helps. Happy to share anything I can that will help others on here. If you have any more questions I'll help if I can. Good luck, this could be one of the few things we can do to get the kids away from them.

My understanding is that a psychopath can pass them with flying colors. It takes someone especially trained with Psycho checklist and scales to determine a psychopath. Narcissist? I can look at em and tell! haha Just watch his reaction when you tell him "eww...there's a boogar on your face!" in front of a room full of people.... But seriously, let me know what you find out. It might not be too late for me have my stbx evaluated............. Good luck! Also, I bet it's better for the kids to be interviewed in any other way ......just try to keep them out of the courtroom.