Meet Dr. Lynne E. Schwartz, Expert in Criminal and Juvenile Law

Dr. Lynne E. Schwartz is a nationally known forensic psychologist who has extensive experience in forensic evaluations of children, adolescents, and adults at all stages of criminal and juvenile proceedings. With more than 20 years of experience as a forensic psychologist, Dr. Schwartz is licensed as a clinical psychologist in the states of New York and Michigan and is a State of Michigan Certified Consulting Forensic Examiner. Dr. Schwartz has provided psycho-legal consultation, psychodiagnostic assessments, forensic psychological evaluation, and expert witness testimony in some of the nation's most widely known cases involving young children and adolescents. In addition to her experience as a forensic psychological expert, Dr. Schwartz has many years of experience in providing psychotherapeutic services to forensic psychiatric populations.

High Profile Juvenile and Family Court Cases
An experienced forensic psychologist, Dr. Schwartz has completed hundreds of court-ordered evaluations of children and adolescents in juvenile and family court proceedings. She has also evaluated, written reports, and testified about children and adolescents who were tried as adults in criminal courts in cases ranging from misdemeanors to multiple murders. Her psychological consultations, evaluations, and expert witness testimony for both defense attorneys and prosecutors focus on issues such as competency to stand trial; criminal responsibility (legal insanity); competency to waive Miranda Rights; juvenile waiver; competency to be sentenced; sentencing and pre-sentencing recommendations. Cases she has consulted on include:

• An 11-year old boy charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of an 18-year old. Nathaniel Abraham was the youngest child ever prosecuted as an adult in Michigan and, in 1999, became the youngest person to have been tried and convicted of murder in the United States. His case was analyzed, debated, and discussed nationwide.
• A 15-year old charged with 1st degree murder, carjacking, kidnapping, armed robbery, conspiracy, and first degree criminal sexual conduct in the strangulation death of a college student.
• A 14-year old seventh grader who dug a grave in the back yard and then killed his father, stabbing him 19 times as he lay sleeping on the sofa. He was charged with first degree murder.
• A 14-year old boy charged with two counts of murder in the first degree in the shooting death of his elderly neighbors, in their seventies.
• A 13-year old boy charged with open murder in connection with the multiple stabbing death of a 14-year old girl who lived door; convicted of 2nd degree murder and sentenced as an adult.
• A 13-year old boy who killed the girl next door, who was 14. He was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced as an adult.
• An eight-year old accused of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with his four-year old cousin; adjudicated for treatment.
• A 15-year old Michigan boy charged with first-degree murder in the death of his twelve year old sister.
• A 15 year old girl charged with assault with intent to murder in the stabbing of a 12-year old on a school bus.

Highly Regarded by Prosecution and Defense
In addition to juvenile forensic assessment and adolescent forensic assessment, Lynne also has a long track record in evaluating, reporting, and testifying in cases involving adults. Some recent cases include:

• A 36-year old man charged with five counts of first degree murder in the bludgeoning deaths of a woman and her four children.
• A 35-year old woman charged with bank robbery.
• A college student charged with 1st degree murder in the random shooting death of an elderly man.

The student was ultimately adjudicated as not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). Engaged by both prosecutors and defense attorneys, Dr. Schwartz is highly regarded by both sides. Attorneys often say that Dr. Schwartz's insight, knowledge of the law, and ability to discuss all aspects of their cases helps in preparing their cases. Her professionalism and thoroughness is evident in every evaluation she conducts, every report she writes, every time she takes the stand. She has a reputation for communicating information regarding severe psychopathology, psychodiagnostic issues, and psychotic processes in ways that are extremely helpful to prosecutors, defense attorneys, juries, and judges.

Background and Education
Dr. Lynne E. Schwartz holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University, an M.A. in Early Childhood Education - Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in Psychology (with Honors) from Carnegie-Mellon University. She also holds a qualification as a Consulting Forensic Examiner from the State of Michigan Department of Public Health, Center for Forensic Psychology. Dr. Schwartz is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Michigan Psychological Association, the New York Neuropyschology Group, the American Psychology-Law Society, and the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. With a national reputation as a pediatric and juvenile psychologist, Dr. Schwartz is invited frequently to speak and present papers at conferences, major hospitals, and psychiatric centers on severe trauma, juvenile delinquency, and forensic evaluation of juveniles. An eight-year member of the State of Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Forensic Issues, Lynne Schwartz is also in demand as a speaker for forensic psychology conferences and legal organizations, including prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges.

The Forensic Psychology Group provides nationwide expert service. Contact Dr. Stephen Reich at 800-852-2160 to discuss your expert needs and timeline.