Practice Areas

Forensic Evaluation Services

What to Expect

Dr. Rogstad has extensive experience conducting high-quality forensic evaluations with court-involved adults. The process of an evaluation typically involves comprehensive clinical and forensic interviews and review of relevant collateral records. Depending upon the specific psycholegal question, it may also require contact with appropriate collateral informants and/or psychological testing. Dr. Rogstad works with the referring court or retaining party to ensure the proper data are gathered and considered to formulate and communicate clear conclusions and opinions supported by the assessment data, relevant research literature, and statutory and legal guidelines.

Interviews may occur in person or virtually. Dr. Rogstad is based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota, but she is able and willing to travel to other jurisdictions throughout Minnesota and the United States if required for assessments. These arrangements can be discussed during the initial consultation. Virtual assessments are offered when appropriate and indicated for the specific referral question and examinee in question. During virtual assessments, Dr. Rogstad uses a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform and standardized remote administration options for psychological testing.

Examples of common referral questions are presented below. However, please reach out to Dr. Rogstad directly if your inquiry does not fall under one of these categories. She offers complimentary initial consultations to retaining parties to clarify the referral question and determine whether she has the expertise required to take the referral. If she cannot accept the referral, she may be able to refer you to another expert. Please note that Dr. Rogstad only accepts referrals from courts, attorneys, regulatory organizations (e.g., licensure boards), and agencies or persons seeking training and education, not the specific individual being examined.

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Types of Forensic Evaluations and Psycholegal Referral Questions

  • The demand for evaluations and services related to defendants’ competency to proceed has increased exponentially within recent years to the extent that the United States is widely believed to be in the midst of a “competency crisis.” Dr. Rogstad has extensive experience in the assessment of various criminal competencies relevant to the criminal adjudicative process, including competency to proceed (i.e., stand trial or waive one’s rights and plead guilty), competency to be sentenced, competency to testify, and competency to proceed pro se.

  • The conceptualization of one’s mental state when determining culpability for an alleged offense varies widely across jurisdictions within the country. Dr. Rogstad is proficient in the different forms these mental status evaluations can take. She is skilled at assessing both insanity and diminished capacity.

  • The government is provided the authority to impose treatment upon persons with mental illness and other impairments only when they meet specific criteria. Dr. Rogstad has many years of experience conducting evaluations relevant to civil commitment, including violence risk assessments, sexual violence risk assessments, and capacity to consent to/refuse psychiatric medications. She also performs evaluations of civilly committed patients’ appropriateness for (1) discharge from the hospital or commitment and (2) changes in privilege levels or placements.

  • Dr. Rogstad has specialized expertise in evaluations of risk for violence, sexual violence, and sexual recidivism. She is well-versed in the relevant research literature and best assessment practices to ensure a balanced, fair review of the data and evidence-based conclusions.

  • Dr. Rogstad understands the unique complexities associated with pre-adjudication psychological evaluations. She has conducted an array of these assessments to inform defense planning, evaluate a defendant’s risk, and provide diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Like sentencing evaluations, referral questions within this domain can be diverse, and Dr. Rogstad is dedicated to designing an examination that precisely answers the psycholegal referral question at hand.

  • As mentioned, dispositional matters encompass a broad array of referral questions. Dr. Rogstad is committed to assisting the referral source in refining the specific inquiry relevant to the proceedings and conducting an impartial examination to address the question. She has conducted evaluations within this area of practice that have a broad focus on diagnostic considerations and treatment recommendations. She has also completed assessments that target specific statutory criteria relevant to mitigation and sentencing.

  • Dr. Rogstad has an extensive history of scholarship related to the comprehension of Miranda warnings and factors relevant to executing a valid waiver of these rights. She is uniquely positioned to conduct examinations of a defendant’s competency to waive their Miranda rights.

  • Although not the only response style relevant to forensic assessment, malingering is often a concern in forensic evaluations given the potential consequences of the outcome on an individual’s legal case. Dr. Rogstad is skilled in the assessment of response styles, a topic on which she routinely presents for other professionals, using various evaluation methods.

  • Dr. Rogstad’s breadth and depth of forensic knowledge positions her well to evaluate the quality of other forensic psychologists’ practice. She has worked with state licensure boards to offer opinions about whether a clinician’s forensic practice meets minimally acceptable standards.

  • Dr. Rogstad has worked with the federal government to assess candidates’ suitability for employment in typically high-stress and high-risk positions.

Forensic Consultation and Additional Services

Forensic Consultation

Dr. Rogstad’s considerable training and experience in conducting high-quality, evidence-driven forensic mental health assessments and work with the examination faculty for the American Board of Forensic Psychology provide her with advanced specialized knowledge in forensic psychology. These credentials offer the incisive perspective in the standards of forensic practice that uniquely qualify her to differentiate quality work from that which may not be helpful to the fact finder. Dr. Rogstad is dedicated to ensuring practice within this field meets quality standards when professionals may not recognize the limits of their competence to practice. Examples of areas in which she can offer consultation services include:

  • Whether forensic psychologists’ practice meets the minimally acceptable standard of care for state licensing boards

  • Whether examination reports employ acceptable methods and practices to substantiate conclusions

  • Quality assurance of forensic examination and reports for courts and attorneys

  • Preparation for cross examination of an expert witness

  • Consultation with attorneys on specific forensic psychological principles to aid in the understanding of an examinee’s presentation or another professional’s work

  • Consultation with other forensic psychologists on ethical, clinical, and/or legal issues influencing their assessments and work

Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Rogstad if you seek consultation services that are not listed here. She can discuss the issue with you during the free initial consultation.

Forensic Mental Health Training and Education

Dr. Rogstad has advanced knowledge and expertise in several subjects critical to forensic assessment. She has provided trainings, workshops, and presentations to judges, attorneys, other psychologists, postdoctoral fellows, and students throughout her career. Example topics for trainings include response styles and malingering, the fundamentals of forensic practice, ethics, specific forensic evaluations (e.g., adjudicative competency and criminal responsibility), the role of psychological testing in forensic evaluation, landmark mental health case law, diversity variables and microaggressions, and clinical forensic supervision. Please contact Dr. Rogstad if you are interested in receiving training or education on these or any other subjects relevant to forensic psychological practice.

Dr. Rogstad offers opportunities for mentorship, supervision, and formalized consultation with psychologists practicing in other areas of the profession who want to develop their competency in conducting forensic evaluations. Her experience as the training director of a postdoctoral fellowship program in forensic psychology approved by the American Board of Forensic Psychology distinctively positions her to provide these services and ensure exceptional training in the best practices of forensic assessment. Mentorship, supervision, and consultation services may include modeling, observation of interviews and testimony, review of evaluation reports, and supervision or consultation meetings to discuss case conceptualization.

Program Development

Finally, Dr. Rogstad has a great deal of experience and interest in program development. Her leadership role as the training director of a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology has given her a unique perspective on program design and development. She has grown the training program she oversees, which is highly competitive among the postdoctoral fellowships in forensic psychology available across the United States. She understands the sometimes competing demands of employee support and productivity requirements, and she has implemented successful strategies to augment both in the training program she coordinates and supervises. Dr. Rogstad enjoys working with agencies to identify and implement strategies to improve communication, enhance employee wellness, and maximize work output within the specific parameters and dynamics of each group.