# Court Services and Expert Testimony **Clinical rigor for family law matters in Missouri — from Justin Puch, LPC at Summit Ridge Counseling.** Psychosocial assessments, expert witness testimony, and reunification work for court-involved families. Grounded in evidence. Prepared under oath. Delivered with integrity. --- ## Overview Family law sits at the intersection of legal reasoning and clinical reality — and those two domains don't always speak the same language. As a Licensed Professional Counselor with specialized experience in court-involved work, my role is to bridge that gap honestly. I work with **attorneys, guardians ad litem, judges, and families** across Missouri on matters where mental health, child welfare, and family dynamics are central to the proceedings. That includes: - Contested custody - Reunification after estrangement or abuse allegations - Parenting plan evaluations - Cases where a child's psychological well-being needs an independent clinical voice My testimony is not for sale to one side. I'm engaged for what I actually find — and that's precisely what makes my work useful to the court. --- ## What I offer ### Psychosocial assessments Comprehensive clinical evaluation drawing on interview, collateral records, and standardized screening tools. Delivered as a written report admissible in court. ### Expert witness testimony Courtroom testimony on assessment findings, treatment progress, and clinical opinion. Prepared, clear under cross-examination, and tied to the clinical record. ### Reunification therapy Structured, court-informed therapeutic work to rebuild parent-child relationships after estrangement, extended separation, or documented rupture. ### Diagnostic evaluations Targeted clinical diagnostics when the court needs to understand a parent's or child's mental health functioning — including ADHD, mood, and trauma-related presentations. ### Treatment progress reports When the court orders therapy, I provide structured reports on progress, engagement, and clinical recommendations without breaking therapeutic integrity. ### Attorney consultation Pre-deposition and pre-trial consultation with attorneys on mental health issues relevant to their case — including help interpreting existing clinical records. --- ## What I am NOT - **Not a formal custody evaluator (CCRC).** For cases requiring a full custody evaluation, I refer to a licensed psychologist credentialed specifically for that work. - **Not a neuropsychological tester.** I don't conduct psychometric batteries outside LPC scope. - **Not willing to take dual-role engagements.** If I'm someone's therapist, I generally should not also be the court's evaluator for them. I'll tell you clearly when a case calls for something I'm not the right person for. --- ## The engagement process **1. Initial inquiry.** You or your attorney reaches out with a brief description of the case, the question before the court, and the timeline. Response within 2 business days. **2. Engagement agreement.** A written engagement defines scope, fee structure, collateral-record handling, and the limits of what can and can't be said in court. **3. Assessment or clinical work.** Interviews, collateral record review with proper releases, and appropriate clinical measures. In ongoing therapy cases, I generally require at least 10 sessions before offering court-facing opinions. **4. Written report or records.** A written psychosocial assessment or clinical summary prepared to be admissible and useful. For ongoing therapy, records are released according to the governing order. **5. Deposition and trial testimony.** Careful preparation. I testify to what's in the record and to the clinical opinions I genuinely hold — no more, no less. --- ## For attorneys and GALs - **Clear engagement terms** — scope, fees, and boundaries defined in writing before work begins. - **Responsive communication** — attorney calls and emails returned within 2 business days. Court-ordered deadlines are treated as hard deadlines. - **Report quality** — structured, sourced, written to hold up under cross-examination. Opinions clearly separated from observations. - **Honest about fit** — if a case needs expertise outside my scope (full custody evaluation, neuropsych testing, forensic interviewing), I'll say so and refer. For retained expert work, please have your office send the initial inquiry before any client contact so I can screen conflicts properly. --- ## Ethical commitments - **I testify to findings, not outcomes.** My job is to present what the clinical record supports, not to advocate for a specific custody arrangement unless the evidence genuinely leads there. - **Dual roles are avoided.** I won't serve as both therapist and court evaluator for the same family. - **Collateral matters.** A clinical picture built only from client self-report is incomplete; in contested cases, often misleading. - **Children are not evidence.** In any work involving kids, their psychological well-being takes precedence over strategic value to either side. --- ## Jurisdictions Primary jurisdiction for court work: **Missouri.** --- ## How to inquire about a case **What to include:** 1. Case posture (pre-trial, post-decree, mid-litigation) and jurisdiction 2. The service being sought (assessment, reunification, testimony, consultation) 3. Timeline — upcoming hearings, mediation, court-imposed deadlines 4. Parties of record (attorney, GAL, opposing counsel) so I can flag conflicts early **How to send:** - **Secure case inquiry form**: https://justin-puch.clientsecure.me/contact-widget - **Phone**: (816) 287-4040 (attorney calls returned within 1 business day) - **Email**: justin@summitridgecounseling.com Response within 2 business days.