Welcome

 

Our group consists of full time Vanderbilt psychiatric faculty who specialize in performing mental health evaluations to address specific legal issues. The group was founded by Dr. William Bernet, M.D., who is now retired as Professor Emeritus. Dr. Stephen A. Montgomery and Dr. Kimberly Brown joined the group in 2002. Dr. Bradley Freeman joined the group in 2009. Dr. Mary Elizabeth Wood became part of the practice in 2017. Dr. Amanda Bitting joined the group in 2020 and Dr. Haley Potts joined the group in 2024. Dr. Montgomery is the director of the Vanderbilt Forensic Psychiatry group. Most of the faculty are board certified in forensics from our respective governing bodies.

The group, individually and collectively, are actively involved in teaching and training Vanderbilt medical and law students, psychiatry residents, and psychology trainees about issues related to forensic psychiatry. We have been retained by a variety of agencies and have done evaluations for both defense and prosecution and plaintiff and defendant, at the local, state, national, and federal levels.

We perform many evaluations, some of which include

CriminalCivil and AdministrativeJuvenile and Family Court
  1. Competency to stand trial
  2. Mental state at the time of alleged offense (insanity defense)
  3. Diminished capacity
  4. Mitigation
  5. Psychosexual evaluations
  6. Competency to waive Miranda rights
  7. False confessions
  8. Violence risk assessment
  1. Personal injury
  2. Independent Medical Examinations (IME's)
  3. Worker's compensation
  4. Fitness for duty
  5. Disability
  6. Conservatorship
  7. Testamentary capacity
  8. Psychiatric malpractice
  9. Need for treatment evaluations
  1. Competency to proceed in court
  2. Competency to waive Miranda rights
  3. Transfer proceedings
  4. Child custody
  5. Parenting time evaluations
  6. Parental fitness evaluations
  7. Rule 35 evaluations
  8. Termination of parental rights
  9. Psychosexual evaluations for juveniles
  10. Need for treatment evaluations

 

At Vanderbilt, we strive to provide excellence in our services. Thank you for considering us for your needs.

For questions or referrals, please email Allison Kee (allison.b.kee@vumc.org) at our office or call (615) 327-7130.