When assessing a person’s competency to wed, history of the questioned relationship and its pair may be informed by a variety of particularized sources. Letters, movies, mementos, and gifts are distinctively helpful in informing an expert’s evaluation of a person’s understanding of marriage.
The forensic psychiatrist often works in conjunction with a neuropsychologist of The Forensic Panel; the expert assesses the individual’s development, mental status, intellectual and cognitive functioning, memory, suggestibility, malingering and personality variables in how they relate to the decision to wed. The forensic psychiatrist also explores the individual’s understanding of marriage and the responsibilities that it entails. The peer review system of The Forensic Panel ensures the highest level of certainty for each competency to wed assessment.