Forensic Evaluations Archives | Page 3 of 3 | Verdugo Psychological Associates

Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity vs. Incompetent to Stand Trial: What’s the Difference Between Them?

by Emin Gharibian, Psy.D. | Forensic Evaluations

The terms insanity and competency are two legal terms that come up often in the criminal justice system. Most people get the two terms mixed up and don’t know the differences between them. We’ve already talked about Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) and...

Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity: Evaluating Criminal Responsibility at The Time of the Offense

by Emin Gharibian, Psy.D. | Forensic Evaluations

What does it mean when a defendant pleads, Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI)? You’ve probably heard the term “insanity” thrown around but most people don’t know the legal criteria for an NGRI plea. “Insanity” is a legal term rather than a medical or...

Competency to Stand Trial: An Overview of the Legal Guidelines for Evaluating Competency

by Emin Gharibian, Psy.D. | Forensic Evaluations

If you’ve watched enough Law and Order, you’ve probably heard the term “Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST)” or competency to stand trial. We get a lot of questions from attorneys asking us if their clients are competent to stand trial. The rules and laws surrounding...

Psychological Evaluations for Immigration Court: The 7 Cases When You Might Need an Evaluation

by Emin Gharibian, Psy.D. | Forensic Evaluations

Immigration has become a hot button topic in the United States over the past several years. There are more and more people every year applying for various waivers and petitions in order to stay in the United States and build a better life for themselves and their...