3 Hours / 3 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Assessment of Defendants’ Competency for Self-Representation is presented by Maureen Reardon, PhD, ABPP, in partnership with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

The focus of this program is the evaluation of defendants whose ability to participate in the criminal process is not (or no longer) in question but whose competence to proceed without legal counsel remains at issue. First reviewed are key cases that provide background for the sorts of abilities the law may require of defendants who seek to represent themselves. Next presented is a conceptual framework for assessing the various functional capacities involved in self-representation, with particular emphasis on methods of differentiating decisions to represent oneself based on mental illness from those based on character pathology and/ or uncommon political, religious, or other subcultural values and beliefs.

This intermediate program is intended for forensic psychologists working in court clinics, institutional settings, and the private sector; as a practical resource for relevant caselaw, literature, and evidenced-based assessment strategies for approaching the unusual case of a defendant who is competent to proceed WITH counsel, but may or may not be competent of proceeding WITHOUT counsel.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe 2 landmark legal cases relevant to pro se competence
  • 2 Describe the socio-political, cultural, and mental health factors that may influence defendants' decisions to waive legal counsel and represent themselves in court
  • 3 Describe a strategy for assessing the requisite functional capacities for waiving counsel and self-representation at trial

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for forensic psychologists who specialize in evaluating defendants’ legal competencies and capacities, particularly in the context of court proceedings. It is intended for those who conduct forensic assessments, provide expert testimony, and address complex legal-psychological questions related to defendants’ mental states and abilities.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Forensic Evaluators
    • Expert Witnesses in legal settings
    • Forensic Consultants

  • Experience Level

    This program is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in forensic assessment related to defendants’ competence to proceed without legal counsel.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to forensic mental health assessment or have limited experience with evaluations of pro se competence and are seeking foundational knowledge of relevant legal standards and assessment strategies.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience conducting forensic evaluations, are familiar with basic legal concepts, and are looking to deepen their understanding of case law, functional assessment, and the nuanced factors influencing self-representation decisions.

  • Practice Setting

    These professionals practice at the interface of mental health and the legal system, conducting specialized evaluations of defendants’ capacities to represent themselves, preparing written reports, and providing expert testimony to courts. Work occurs in secure clinical and court-related environments guided by relevant case law and functional assessment frameworks, with attention to distinguishing mental illness from character pathology or unconventional beliefs.


    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Court clinics and competency evaluation units
    • Forensic hospitals and secure psychiatric units
    • Jails, detention centers, and correctional mental health services
    • Private forensic assessment practices serving criminal courts
    • State or county outpatient forensic evaluation services
    • University-affiliated forensic programs and training clinics

Presented By

Maureen Reardon, PhD, ABPP Forensic Private Practice

Maureen L. Reardon has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). During her tenure with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, she completed numerous forensic evaluations of competency, sanity, and violence risk and for two years, was responsible for the oversight of the institution’s forensic evaluation program. Currently, Dr. Reardon maintains a forensic practice based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is Past President (2019) of the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP) and presently serves as examination faculty and co-chair of continuing education for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Maureen Reardon, PhD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Overview of legal foundations underlying defendant's right to self-representation

  • Review various factors influencing that may influence choices to proceed pro se

  • Identify the basic functional legal capacities required to (a) waive counsel and (b) proceed pro se

  • Provide a "best practice" guideline for assessments of a defendant's competency to self-represent

  • Videos, case vignettes, and sample write-ups will be presented to illustrate the above

  • Limited research in this area is also reviewed

We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.