Forensic Consultation

SECOND OPINION ASSESSMENT
Dr. Mann has extensive experience and background in the area of custody dispute. This began with his doctorial dissertation completed in 1984 on “Children’s Adjustment to Divorce as Related to Sole and Joint Custody.” He did his dissertation with the Orange County Courts. Dr. Mann was the only private practitioner to serve on a committee with several judges and mediators who developed Orange County’s current Parenting Plan Guidelines parenting.pdf. These guidelines are for custody and visitation to assist families, mediators, judges, and evaluators. They are distributed to every individual that is in a custody dispute who requires mediation with the Orange County Courts in California.

Dr. Mann has reviewed well over 200 Child Custody Reports by other experts. As a Second Opinion Expert, Dr. Mann frequently uncovers significant flaws in previous custody evaluations and he provides concrete ideas and solutions. When Dr. Mann is retained as an Expert Witness, he will do the following:

Dr. Mann has a strong and powerful success as an Expert Witness. He has testified in trials and has been deposed as an Expert Witness. Dr. Mann has read and analyzed well over 75 entire files and records that were subpoenaed. Dr. Mann has been highly successful in assisting and resolving cases when possible, as well as, dealing with these defective cases without having to go to court.

Dr. Mann’s Expert Witness Service in custody cases focuses on the work product. Dr. Mann is not able to make recommendations as to best interestFamily Picture under these circumstances, since he did not interview all the parties, nor was he assigned the task to be a Child Custody Evaluator.

 

RELOCATION ISSUES IN CHILD CUSTODY DISPUTE CONSULTATION
Relocation issues are very difficult and challenging not only for the parents but the court. Dr. Mann is very experienced in national and international relocation cases in helping attorneys and their clients insure the best interest of the children involved in these often heart-breaking cases. Dr. Mann clearly understands the current research and views concerning relocation. The LaMusage factors are carefully examined by Dr. Mann. The court must proceed on the assumption that a parent who is making the request to relocate will relocate regardless of whether the court grants or denies the request. It is Dr. Mann”s belief regarding relocation cases, that the court is making a determination which is the least detrimental residential placements for the child. Dr. Mann has been involved in over 200 relocation cases. He finds that many times the child’s interest is lost in the parents’ needs, taking priority of the needs of the child. The evaluators most often fail to do an analysis of the impact on the child from being away from either parent for a lengthy period of time as to long and short term effect. They fail to assess how recent changes have and may have an impact on the child’s sense of security. Dr. Mann can provide parents and attorneys insight and direction on how to proceed in these complex and difficult cases.

Dr. Mann has extensive experience in relocation cases both nationally and internationally.  

PREPARATION FOR CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATION/PARENTING PLAN
Dr. Mann has conducted over 1500 Child Custody Evaluations, giving Dr. Mann invaluable insight into what custody evaluators are looking for. Dr. Mann guides the client (parent) through the custody process as well as providing guidance on how to present themselves to the evaluator. In addition, Dr. Mann helps the client frame their concerns and information, to the evaluator, in a credible and cohesive manner.

PARENT/CHILD CONTACT PROBLEMS (RESIST AND REFUSE CONTACT ISSUES)
Dr. Mann has extensive experience in helping families and courts solve issues when children are reluctant to have a relationship with one of the parents. These cases are extraordinarily complex and often have multifactorial causes. Some factors may involve fear and safety, lack of parenting skills, past trauma, parent alienating behavior and witnessing high conflict. Dr. Mann helps assess the issues and formulate a treatment plan often resulting in healthy and positive parent-child relationships.

CHILD ABUSE ALLEGATION IN CUSTODY CASES
The Fourth Appellate District Court stated Dr. David J. Mann is a highly qualified expert on child sexual abuse. Dr. Mann is an expert in children’s memory and suggestibility. He was chair of SCAN which was the sexual child abuse network in Orange County. Dr. Mann provided training and education at workshops for Judges and Attorneys in understanding abuse. Dr. Mann was Medical Director of Charter Hospital of Mission Viejo where he developed a treatment model for children who have been victims of abuse. The courts would request Dr. Mann to evaluate custody cases, where there were issues of child abuse during a child custody evaluation, because of his expertise. Dr. Mann has testified in Criminal Court, Family Court and Juvenile Court regarding child abuse allegations. Dr. Mann provides consultation and assistance to attorneys in how to proceed in these complex and difficult cases.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALLEGATION IN CUSTODY CASES
In custody court litigation approximately 30% or more of these cases involve allegations of coercive controlling violence (CCV). Dr. Mann is an expert on Domestic Violence and has taught the required classes that are mandated that child custody evaluators take annually. Dr. Mann first became involved in domestic violence in 1981 when he worked at women shelters in Long Beach, CA with Charter Hospital and the Norwalk/Lakewood Sheriff’s department. Dr. Mann was appointed by a Family Court Judicial Officer to be a member of the Orange County Family Violence Council on which Dr. Mann served. Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior where one or both partners try to control or manipulate the other through fear and intimidation. This pattern can be of emotional abuse, physical gestures, financial control, verbal abuse or physical abuse. Most often there is a primary aggressor but on occasion it may be bi-directional. Dr. Mann has found the allegations of domestic violence are often used as a weapon to try to gain custody during custody litigation. Dr. Mann has also found that the use of threats and intimidations is often done covertly with threats of gestures and emotional abuse that are often missed in child custody evaluations by evaluators because they have not dug deep enough or failed to understand the real dynamics CCV. The studies are clear that children who witness domestic violence are negatively affected by this pattern of behavior which can lead to major psychological problems as children and as adults. Dr. Mann’s knowledge and experience in this area is extremely helpful to attorneys and clients when reviewing Custody Reports to insure these issues were properly evaluated and assessed.

Dr. Mann can be reached for further information for this service by phone or E-mail.

10.17.23

 

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