Litigation Consultations
Dr. Warshak receives many inquiries regarding his availability as a consultant, evaluator, trial consultant, and expert witness in matters relating to child custody, childhood trauma, and related litigation. To spend more time on research, writing, and pro bono work, he limits the number of cases he accepts each year.
In most instances, Dr. Warshak restricts his services to consultation for attorneys without serving as an expert witness. Consultation is designed to support legal processes by clarifying research, concepts, and best-practice considerations relevant to the issues before the court.
Who this is for
Litigation consultation is typically requested by attorneys handling complex custody disputes and cases involving allegations of parental alienation, disputed evaluations, or contested mental health evidence.
Consultation can help counsel understand the psychological and family dynamics relevant to best-interest analyses, parenting time plans, parental alienation issues, and relocation disputes.
Consultation can assist counsel in reviewing and responding to custody evaluations, social studies, or other professional opinions—particularly where methods, interpretation of data, or conclusions are contested.
What consultation can include
As a consultant to an attorney, Dr. Warshak may review case materials and provide feedback about managing issues related to children’s best interests. Consultation can also help inform recommendations for other expert witnesses when appropriate.
Review relevant portions of the file and provide feedback on litigation strategy and case management, including parenting time plans, relocation, and issues related to parent–child relationship disruption.
Provide guidance grounded in the professional literature relevant to parental alienation, unjustified rejection, high-conflict dynamics, child development considerations, and best-practice standards.
Assist counsel in interpreting and responding to mental health evidence and testimony—such as critiquing a custody evaluation, identifying methodological gaps, and preparing questions for deposition and cross-examination.
Help organize evidence for presentation to a custody evaluator and in court, including issues such as children’s alignment, resistance to contact, and competing interpretations of family functioning.
Evaluations & mental health evidence
Dr. Warshak’s review of investigations, evaluations, and social studies can include critiques of procedures, findings, and conclusions. In many cases, significant weaknesses can be identified in one or more of these areas.
Identify significant flaws or omissions in procedures that may compromise the reliability of an evaluation, including incomplete investigation, unclear methodology, or failure to adequately test alternative explanations.
Assess whether findings rest on inaccurate interpretation of data (including psychological test results), and whether the same data suggests alternative plausible interpretations.
Evaluate whether conclusions and recommendations are warranted by the findings, and whether the report reveals subtle bias or reliance on unproven theories. When such problems are identified, consultation can assist counsel in preparing for deposition and court testimony.
Experience & approach
Dr. Warshak has more than 40 years of experience as a clinical, consulting, and research psychologist. His work has appeared in numerous books and peer-reviewed articles and is cited internationally.
His book Divorce Poison is widely regarded as a classic. His video Welcome Back, Pluto is used broadly by professionals and courts.
How to inquire
To keep intake consistent across services, inquiries are submitted using the form on the main Services page. Please do not send confidential documents unless specifically requested.
For conflict checking, include the names of the litigants/case and the names of all attorneys and mental health professionals involved. Other than names, avoid case specifics until a conflict check is completed and services are confirmed.