6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Ethical and Effective Expert Witness is presented by Joel Dvoskin, PhD, ABPP, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

This program addresses the provision of expert psychological testimony in the courtroom. Topics include the use of humor as an expert witness; how to deal with discourteous opposing counsel; how to give good answers to bad questions; the importance of humility; legal rules governing the admissibility of expert testimony; preparing for depositions; the myth of the “objective” expert; learning from opposing counsel; and ultimate issue testimony.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the pros and cons of recording interviews
  • 2 Describe at least one difference between an expert witness and a maggot eating at a wound
  • 3 Describe the importance of humility in serving as an expert witness
  • 4 Describe the value of transparency and showing one’s work
  • 5 Describe how to respond to compound questions
  • 6 Describe how to approach expert testimony with increased confidence and humility

  • Intended Audience

    This training program is designed for mental health and allied professionals who are involved or interested in forensic psychology and expert witness testimony. It is intended for individuals who specialize in or wish to develop expertise in the unique challenges and skills required for legal and courtroom settings, including both civil and criminal proceedings.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors)
    • Allied professionals (nurses, case managers, occupational therapists)
    • Individuals specializing in forensic psychology
    • Professionals serving as or aspiring to be expert witnesses

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with expert psychological testimony in legal settings.


    • Beginner: Participants new to providing expert testimony or with limited courtroom experience will gain foundational knowledge of legal procedures, professional roles, and best practices for expert witnesses.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in legal testimony will deepen their understanding of complex issues such as responding to challenging questions, applying legal standards (Frye and Daubert), and refining courtroom communication skills.

    • Advanced: Participants with extensive experience as expert witnesses will benefit from advanced strategies for handling difficult counsel, enhancing credibility, and integrating humility and transparency into expert testimony.

  • Practice Setting

    Participants practice at the intersection of mental health and the justice system, working within legally regulated, multidisciplinary environments across civil and criminal matters. Their work occurs in settings that require adherence to evidentiary standards, clear communication with legal stakeholders, and ethically grounded practice delivered in both in-person and virtual formats.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Criminal and civil courts and hearing rooms
    • Deposition suites and arbitration venues
    • Law firms, public defender and prosecutor offices
    • Correctional facilities (jails, prisons) and probation/parole services
    • Forensic psychiatric units and state hospitals
    • Community mental health clinics and crisis centers
    • Private forensic practices and IME/assessment centers
    • Child protection and family court services
    • Government agencies and administrative tribunals
    • Telehealth evaluations and remote testimony environments
Presented By

Joel Dvoskin, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Joel Dvoskin is a clinical and forensic psychologist, licensed in Arizona and certified in Forensic Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

He is the former Acting Commissioner of Mental Health for the State of NY, where he oversaw the largest public psychiatric and mental health system in the United State, and directly supervised 31 adult, children’s, and forensic psychiatric hospitals. Prior to that, he served for more than a decade as Associate Commissioner and Director for Forensic Services for the NY State Office of Mental Health, where he directly supervised 3 freestanding forensic psychiatric hospitals, 3 forensic units in adult (civil) psychiatric hospitals, mental health services for the NY State Department of Correctional Services, and the nation’s first statewide community forensic mental health system. During his tenure, his office created the first statewide jail and police department suicide prevention projects in the US.

He served as Chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Behavior Health and Wellness for the State of Nevada.

Dr. Dvoskin is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Former President of two APA Divisions, including the American Psychology-Law Society and Psychologists in Public Service. He served on the APA Policy Task Force on Reducing Gun Violence, and on the APA Blue Ribbon Commission on Ethical Processes.

He has provided consultation to a wide array of organizations, including the U.S. Secret Service, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the NBA Players Association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and numerous corporations, organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies across the US and Canada. Consultations are provided on workplace violence prevention, management and leadership, and responding to organizational crises.

In 2001, Dr. Dvoskin served on an expert team that investigated Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, who committed the killings at Columbine High School.

He previously served on the adjunct faculty of the University of Arizona Law School, and currently teaches at the University of Arizona Medical School, in addition to his consulting practice in forensic psychology in Tucson, Arizona. 

He has been an invited speaker to the Conference of Chief Justices, the National Association of Attorneys General, the National Tactical Officers Association, CIT (Police Crisis Intervention Teams) International, numerous universities, and hundreds of other professional organizations.

In 1995, Dr. Dvoskin served on the White House Task Force on the Future of the African American Male. He has served as a Federal Court Monitor over correctional and mental health facilities and systems in Washington, New Mexico, Michigan, and Colorado and frequently serves as an expert for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and various state Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&A). He has also served as an expert witness and consultant for state mental health and criminal justice agencies.

Dr. Dvoskin provides training and public speaking services, mediation, expert testimony on civil and criminal matters, and consulting services to state mental health, criminal justice and public safety agencies, courts, police departments, corporations, and universities. For more than 6 years, Dr. Dvoskin has worked as a pro bono consultant with the New Orleans Police Department on an innovative program to prevent police misconduct called EPIC (Ethical Policing is Courageous) that has received national acclaim. Currently, Dr. Dvoskin serves as Senior Psychologist for Project ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcements), part of Georgetown University Law School’s Innovative Policing Program.

Dr. Dvoskin has served as design consultant for numerous hospital, prison, and jail architectural projects, including St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington DC, Fulton (MO) State Hospital, and currently the Hawaii State Hospital.

In 2020, Dr. Dvoskin was awarded the Distinguished Contribution Award by the American Academy of Forensic Psychology and received similar awards from the Arizona Psychological Association for distinguished contributions to the science (2001) and practice (2010) of psychology.

He is co-author, with Andrew W. Kane, of Evaluation for Personal Injury Claims (2011) and the lead Editor (with Jennifer Skeem, Raymond Novaco, and Kevin Douglas) of Using Social Science to Reduce Violent Offending (2011), winner of the 2012 Book Award of the American Psychology-Law Society. Both books were published by the Oxford University Press.

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Use of humor as an expert witness

  • How to deal with discourteous opposing counsel

  • How to give good answers to bad questions

  • The importance of humility

  • Legal rules governing the admissibility of expert testimony

  • Preparing for depositions

  • The myth of the “objective” expert

  • Learning from opposing counsel

  • Ultimate issue testimony.

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).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

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), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #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. Palo Alto University 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. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by 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.