Frequently asked questions

Solicitors and, in appropriate cases, counsel or recognised instructing agencies acting in the proceedings. We work in criminal, civil, family and tribunal matters across England and Wales.

We reply to enquiries with a quote within one working day. Assessment typically takes place within 4 weeks of instruction, and the report follows typically within 4 weeks of the assessment. If a hearing date makes that unworkable, say so in your first message and we will tell you what can be done.

Yes. We accept legal aid rates and work with Legal Aid Agency prior authority. Privately funded instructions are also accepted.

Yes. Name the expert in your enquiry and we will confirm their availability. Otherwise we allocate the case to the consultant in the group best placed to take it, and tell you who that is with the quote.

Wherever the person is - prison, secure or general hospital, the community, or remotely where that is appropriate to the case.

Yes. Our experts attend court and tribunal hearings to give oral evidence where the opinion is contested or the court requires it, and take part in experts' meetings and joint statements.

We are forensic psychiatrists working with adults aged 18 and over. For some purposes, such as fitness to plead, we will assess 17-year-olds. We do not assess people under 17 for developmental questions, such as cognitive age or developmental assessments.

No. We accept instructions only from instructing solicitors and, in appropriate cases, from counsel or recognised agencies acting in a matter. We do not take instructions from defendants, claimants, family members or other individuals directly, however urgent or serious the matter. If you are involved in proceedings, your solicitor is the right person to instruct us on your behalf.

An expert witness is instructed within a legal case and owes an overriding duty to the court. The expert needs the case papers, the specific questions to be addressed and proper terms of instruction, all of which are best coordinated by a solicitor. Reports commissioned outside that framework are often of less value to the proceedings.

You will need to instruct a solicitor before one of our experts can be involved. If you face criminal proceedings you may be entitled to legal aid. You can find a solicitor through the Law Society's Find a Solicitor service, or ask at the court or police station about the duty solicitor. Once a solicitor is acting for you, they can consider whether an expert report is needed and contact us.

Not through this service. We provide expert evidence for legal proceedings only, and do not offer treatment, prescriptions or ongoing care. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, contact your GP or local NHS mental health service. In a crisis or emergency, call 999 or NHS 111.

We understand how distressing this is, but we cannot act on a request from a family member or friend. The right step is to make sure the person has a solicitor who knows about the mental health concerns. The solicitor can raise fitness to plead, capacity or other psychiatric issues with the court and instruct an expert. For immediate clinical concerns, the GP and NHS mental health services are the right route.

A clinician may mention that an expert assessment could be relevant, but the instruction must still come from a solicitor acting in the proceedings. Please pass our details to your solicitor rather than contacting us yourself.

We cannot review, advise on or keep case material sent to us by anyone other than an instructing solicitor or agency. Please do not send us documents or sensitive personal information directly. If you would like us to help, ask your solicitor to make contact.