Evaluation Services
• Competency to stand trial
• Violence, sexual, and general recidivism risk assessment
• Pre-sentencing and mitigation evaluations
• Criminal responsibility (insanity / mental state at the time of the offense)
• Diminished capacity and other mental-state defenses
• Fitness, threat, and dangerousness assessments
• Juvenile competency, risk, and other juvenile forensic evaluations
Evaluations integrate clinical interview, collateral records review, and validated, peer-reviewed instruments appropriate to the referral question. Findings are presented in plain, defensible language — opinions are tied directly to data, with limitations stated openly.
Dr. Patterson is licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, and completed comprehensive training at the Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy (ILPPP) at the University of Virginia qualifying him to perform competency and insanity evaluations in Virginia courts. He has served as both a retained and court-appointed expert. Forensic evaluations conducted for court purposes — rather than for clinical treatment — can often be performed in jurisdictions outside those licensure states; please inquire regarding your matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept referrals from both defense and prosecution?
Yes. Dr. Patterson accepts referrals from defense counsel, prosecutors, civil litigators, and the courts directly, and applies the same methodology regardless of the referring party.
What is your typical turnaround time?
Turnaround depends on the evaluation type, record volume, and jail or facility access. Most evaluations are completed within four to eight weeks of receipt of records and authorization for interview. Expedited timelines can sometimes be accommodated.
Can you conduct an evaluation outside DC, Maryland, or Virginia?
Often, yes. Court-ordered and forensic evaluations are typically governed by the rules of the requesting court rather than by clinical licensure. Please contact us with the jurisdiction and case posture and we will confirm.
Do you testify at deposition and trial?
Yes. Dr. Patterson is available for deposition and trial testimony, and reports are prepared with that prospect in mind from the outset.