Whole Person Psychology Group

Objective Forensic Psychological Evaluations for Civil Litigation Welcome. I am Marco G. Morelli, Psy.D., a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California (PSY 34288) with over 15 years of experience, I provide objective, evidence-based psychological evaluations and expert opinions for civil and administrative legal matters. My work is dedicated to assisting attorneys and the court by providing clear, impartial, and scientifically-grounded answers to complex legal questions. In transitioning from a purely clinical role to that of a forensic expert, the primary function shifts: I am not a therapist to the individual being evaluated, but rather an evaluator and an educator for the legal team. My Role as a Forensic Expert It is critical to understand the bright ethical line between a treating clinician and a forensic expert. A Treating Expert (or Fact Witness) testifies about their own diagnosis and treatment of a patient they have a therapeutic relationship with. A Forensic Expert Witness, the role I serve, is retained by an attorney or appointed by the court to render an objective opinion. I have no prior therapeutic relationship with the individual, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed. My work is not therapy; it is an evaluation designed to be objective, impartial, and answer a specific legal question. I cannot serve as both a treating therapist and a forensic expert for the same person in the same case. A Rigorous, Multi-Method Approach To ensure my opinions are thorough and defensible, I conduct objective, multi-method assessments tailored to the referral question. This process typically includes: 1. Comprehensive Record Review: This is often the most time-consuming phase. I conduct a rigorous review of all relevant documents, which may include medical and psychiatric records, legal documents, police reports, and depositions. My background in biological sciences provides a rigorous, analytical foundation for this complex causation analysis. 2. Forensic Clinical Interview: I conduct a structured evaluation of the individual. This is not a therapy intake, but a focused interview designed to gather objective data relevant to the legal question. 3. Psychological Testing: When appropriate, I supplement the interview with a battery of psychological tests. This includes standardized measures to evaluate claims of trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression, as well as symptom validity tests to assess for malingering. 4. Detailed Forensic Report: My findings are presented in a detailed, objective forensic report. Unlike a clinical note, this report is written for a legal audience. It is based solely on the data from the records, interview, and testing, and it clearly answers the specific legal question posed by the retaining attorney. 5. Deposition and Testimony: I am available to provide formal, sworn testimony regarding my findings, both in deposition and in court. Areas of Forensic Expertise My practice is focused on providing independent psychological evaluations in the following civil matters: 1. Personal Injury (PI) & Workers' Compensation This is a natural extension of my deep experience in clinical assessment. Attorneys retain me to evaluate plaintiffs who claim to have suffered psychological harm, such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression, as a result of an incident. My role: To provide an objective opinion on psychological causation, diagnosis, and prognosis. My expertise: I have specific expertise in assessing psychological causation and emotional distress. I regularly conduct psychological evaluations for injured workers within the Workers' Compensation system and have extensive experience evaluating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depressive disorders. I also assess psychological factors impacting chronic pain and functional restoration. 2. Employment Law I am retained to assess claims of emotional distress related to workplace matters. My role: To evaluate claims of emotional distress resulting from alleged harassment or discrimination. My expertise: My work involves the objective assessment of emotional distress and the diagnosis of related conditions such as depressive and anxiety disorders. 3. Family Law I provide complex psychological evaluations for matters pending in family court. My role: To offer objective evaluations regarding issues such as parental fitness or child custody. My expertise: My background includes providing psychological assessment and services to dually-diagnosed adults and forensic populations, including individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders and severe mental illness. This experience is crucial for evaluating complex factors that may impact parental fitness. 4. Competency Evaluations I am available to conduct evaluations regarding an individual's psychological capacity. My role: To evaluate an individual's capacity to make critical medical or financial decisions. My expertise: I have provided psychological services to children and families facing serious illnesses and have experience with dually-diagnosed and forensic populations, all of which inform the complex assessment of functional capacity and competency. --- Unique Qualifications Cross-Cultural & Trauma Expertise: I possess deep expertise in cross-cultural and trauma psychology. This includes extensive experience with refugee populations, asylees, and asylum seekers, as well as managing emergency mental health responses to disaster, acute trauma, and mass grief/loss. Fluency in Spanish: I am fluent in Spanish. This allows me to conduct direct psychological evaluations without an interpreter, eliminating a layer of potential error and increasing the accuracy of the assessment. I have provided specialized, direct Spanish-language psychological services and adapted clinical curricula for Spanish-speaking populations. Scientific Foundation: My background in biological sciences (M.S. Biology, B.S. Biological Sciences) provides a rigorous, analytical foundation for complex causation analysis. For inquiries about my services or to discuss a potential case, please contact my office at marco@wholepersonpsychology.health