A psychologist has agreed that the report she gave in court regarding a visitation issue was one-sided. The psychologist, who is based on the west coast, was involved in a family law case in which a boy who also lives on the west coast with his mother, was set to visit his father in Alberta. The psychologist told a family court judge that the boy might hurt himself if he had to make that visit, but the psychologist admitted never talking with the boy’s father.
The family court judge thought the psychologist’s written submission was unusual, so she called the woman from the court. The psychologist could not corroborate the information she provided in her court submission, so the judge refused to accept it. The judge suggested the evaluation wasn’t worth the paper it was written on and said it was so bad, in fact, that she was considering reporting the psychologist to the professional society to which she belonged.
The psychologist issued a letter of apology to the boy’s father and agreed to discontinue doing family law referrals. She also admitted she did not usually practise forensic psychology as it has to do with family law. The father was finally able to see his son after three years. He said it affected his extended family physically, financially and emotionally.
Some family law matters in British Columbia can wreak havoc on families and can be particularly difficult for the children involved. Having a lawyer’s guidance on these often contentious issues may help to alleviate some of the stress associated with their legalities. Some of these cases can drag on in court for years and having a compassionate lawyer advocating for a client may make things seem less trying and help to keep the focus on the best interests of the children involved.