Live Virtual Training via Zoom

David A. Martindale, PhD, ABPP (Forensic) and Christopher Mulchay, PhD, ABPP, present a live virtual professional training program on Conducting Parenting Plan Evaluations in Family Law Cases. 

This live virtual training takes place over four half-day sessions from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm PST / 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm EST each day. The training will take place on February 5, 6, 12, 13, 2026.

This is a multi-day training event. Participants must attend all scheduled sessions in full to be eligible to receive continuing education (CE) credit. Partial credit will not be awarded.

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards various certificates. Enroll to earn credit and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues. This program counts as a foundational program in the Child Custody Evaluation Certificate.

This program provides an introduction and overview of custody and parenting evaluations and addresses advanced topics: relocation requests, allegations of intimate partner violence, child sexual abuse, and alienation. Participants learn how to conduct forensic interviews of adults and children, as well as how to observe their interactions, and administer and interpret psychological tests. Report writing, testimony, and risk management procedures are also addressed.

This program is designed for licensed mental health professionals—including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and counselors—as well as family law attorneys and judicial officers who work in or are transitioning to forensic practice, particularly in family law settings. It is ideal for those conducting custody evaluations, performing child welfare assessments, or serving as expert witnesses.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the key elements of an evaluator’s Explanation of Policies, Procedures, and Fees
  • 2 Describe the distinctions between clinical and forensic interviewing
  • 3 Describe the means by which evaluators can maximize the usefulness of collateral source information
  • 4 Describe the essential elements of a custody evaluation report
  • 5 Describe the key elements of effective direct testimony
  • 6 Describe the pertinent factors to be considered in parents’ requests to relocate
  • 7 Describe the steps to be taken in investigating allegations of intimate partner violence
  • 8 Describe the essential elements of effective child forensic interviewing
  • 9 Describe the distinctions between alienation, estrangement, alignment, and visitation resistance

  • Intended Audience

    This program is intended for professionals who play a critical role in family law matters involving custody and parenting evaluations, including those who conduct forensic interviews, interpret psychological assessments, and provide expert input on complex issues such as relocation, intimate partner violence, child sexual abuse, and parent-child relationship dynamics. The audience includes individuals responsible for preparing evaluation reports, offering testimony, and managing risk in legal and forensic contexts.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Family Law Attorney
    • Judicial Officer

  • Experience Level

    This program is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals, family law attorneys, and judicial officers who are new to or transitioning into forensic practice in family law settings.
    Beginner: Participants with limited or no prior experience in custody and parenting evaluations, forensic interviewing, or expert testimony, seeking foundational knowledge and practical skills for conducting evaluations and related forensic tasks.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals in this field typically work in environments where legal and mental health issues intersect, such as family courts, private practices specializing in forensic assessment, government agencies, child advocacy centers, and law offices. These settings require collaboration with legal professionals, families, and other stakeholders to assess, report, and provide expert input on complex family law matters. The work environment is often structured, confidential, and may involve both office-based and courtroom activities.

    Examples of practice settings:

    • Family court systems and judicial chambers
    • Private forensic assessment practices
    • Child advocacy or child protection agencies
    • Law firms specializing in family law
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of child and family services)
    • Community mental health centers with forensic services
    • University or hospital-based forensic evaluation units

Presented By

David Martindale, PhD, ABPP, Consultant

David Martindale, Ph.D., ABPP (forensic) limits his practice to consulting with psychologists, attorneys, and state regulatory boards. He lectures regularly on issues pertaining to evaluations of comparative custodial suitability, served on the AFCC Child Custody Consulting Task Force, and was the Reporter for the AFCC Model Standards of Practice for Child Custody Evaluation.

View More Programs from this Presenter
David Martindale, PhD, ABPP

Presented By

Christopher Mulchay, PhD, ABPP, Licensed Psychologist · Asheville Testing PLLC

Chris Mulchay, PhD, ABPP, is the co-author of The Family Law Professional's Field Guide to High-Conflict Litigation: Dynamics, Not Diagnoses. With Jonathan Gould, Dr. Mulchay has co-authored APA's new book on Parenting Plan Evaluations, along with chapters on child custody in both The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Law (2023) and APA Handbook of Psychology and Law (2025). Dr. Mulchay has also reviewed tests for the Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology. Dr. Mulchay is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Psychologists.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Christopher Mulchay, PhD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Days 1 and 2: Introductory Topics

      • Transitioning from clinical to forensic mindset
      • Identifying and avoiding common forensic evaluation errors
      • Risk management considerations in forensic practice
      • Best practices for forensic record keeping
      • Fundamentals of forensic interviewing techniques
      • Techniques for interviewing children in forensic contexts
      • Introduction to special topics in forensic interviewing
      • Addressing issues related to relocation in family law
      • Understanding and managing parent-child contact problems

  • Days 3 and 4: Advanced Topics

      • Continued exploration of special topics in forensic interviewing
      • Understanding intimate partner violence (IPV) and coercive control in custody cases
      • Evaluating child sexual abuse allegations within a forensic framework
      • Enhancing assessments through effective use of collateral source data
      • Conducting and interpreting parent-child observations
      • Applying formal psychological assessment tools in forensic evaluations
      • Structuring and writing comprehensive forensic reports
      • Preparing for and effectively delivering expert testimony in court

Live Event Policy

Registration for our live events is covered for one (1) person per purchase. If you would like to purchase for a group, please contact our group training team.

  • Event Communications

    When registering, use an email that is active and that you check regularly. We are not responsible for communications not being received; if you do not add [email protected] to your email safe sender list, our emails are likely to end up in your spam or junk folders.

  • Cancellation Policy

    Have a sudden change of plans and are unable to attend live? No worries; you will be given access to the on-demand version of the program once available. Please note that if you attend live, no access to the recording will be given.

  • Event Conduct

    Professional conduct is expected during our live programs. Our goal is to make our events as interactive as possible for all participants. We reserve the right to remove any participants who are disruptive, act unprofessionally, or who we are unable to verify their purchase.

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
View Certificates

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.