MEET THE EVALUATOR
Forensic expertise built for complex cases.
Dr. Sadia Upright is a forensic mental health professional specializing in complex psychological and behavioral questions arising within civil, criminal, juvenile, and family-law matters.
Her work is grounded in advanced doctoral training in forensic psychology and victimology, specialized training in clinical sexology, trauma, sexual behavior and risk assessment, and extensive experience conducting forensic evaluations involving high-conflict custody, parental fitness, parent-child contact problems, allegations of abuse, psychosexual functioning, sexual offense risk, and other complex forensic concerns.
Dr. Upright has conducted more than 100 forensic assessments and has been recognized as an expert witness in civil, criminal, and federal proceedings. Her approach emphasizes objective methodology, careful consideration of competing hypotheses, integration of multiple data sources, and conclusions that remain within the limits of the available evidence.
CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL STANDING
Training that informs the work. Experience that withstands scrutiny.
EDUCATION & ADVANCED TRAINING
PhD, Forensic Psychology — Victimology
Walden University
Advanced Post-Doctoral Training — Clinical Sexology & Sex Offender Treatment
Specialized training in sexual behavior, psychosexual assessment, sexual offending, and treatment.
Advanced Training — Victimology & Traumatology
Specialized study of trauma, victimization, abuse dynamics, and their application to forensic assessment.
LICENSURE & PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor (LCMHC-S)
North Carolina
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
South Carolina (9520)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
Florida (MH24294)
Diplomate Status & Board Certification in Forensic Mental Health Evaluation
National Board of Forensic Evaluators (NBFE)
Board-Certified Forensic Counselor
National Association of Forensic Counselors (NAFC) • #29359
Board Certified Clinical Sexologist
Therapist Certification Association
Certified Sex Offender Therapist
Therapist Certification Association
Clinical Member
Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA)
FORENSIC EXPERIENCE
Experience where behavioral science and the law intersect.
01 — FORENSIC ASSESSMENT
Dr. Upright has conducted more than 100 forensic assessments across civil, criminal, juvenile, and family-law matters. Her evaluation experience includes complex custody and parental fitness matters, parent-child contact problems, allegations of abuse, psychosexual functioning, sexual behavior and risk, and other complex behavioral questions arising in legal proceedings.
02 — EXPERT TESTIMONY
Dr. Upright has been recognized as an expert witness in civil, criminal, and federal proceedings. Her forensic work is structured to communicate complex behavioral and assessment findings in a manner that is understandable, appropriately qualified, and responsive to the psycholegal questions before the court.
03 — COMPLEX & HIGH-CONFLICT MATTERS
Her work frequently involves cases in which competing allegations, conflicting collateral information, trauma histories, family-system dynamics, sexual behavior concerns, or multiple plausible explanations must be carefully examined rather than assumed.
04 — FORENSIC CONSULTATION
Dr. Upright consults with attorneys and other authorized professionals regarding complex behavioral evidence, forensic methodology, psycholegal questions, opposing expert reports, assessment findings, and issues relevant to deposition and trial preparation.
APPROACH TO FORENSIC PRACTICE
Objectivity is not a tagline. It is the assignment.
Forensic work requires a fundamentally different posture from advocacy or treatment. The task is not to advance the position of the retaining party, confirm an allegation, or produce a predetermined conclusion. It is to examine the referral question systematically and determine what the available evidence reasonably supports.
Dr. Upright's approach emphasizes consideration of competing hypotheses, integration of multiple sources of information, appropriate use and interpretation of assessment data, attention to inconsistencies and limitations, and clear separation between observed information, professional inference, and ultimate legal determinations reserved for the court.
In complex matters, the most defensible opinion is not necessarily the most absolute one. Conclusions should reflect both the strength of the available evidence and its limitations—and remain within the evaluator's professional scope and the defined psycholegal questions.
OBJECTIVE. • ETHICAL. • DEFENSIBLE.
FORENSIC REFERRALS & CONSULTATION
The right forensic work begins with the right question.
Whether a matter requires a comprehensive forensic evaluation, focused consultation, expert review, or litigation support depends upon the legal questions at issue, the available evidence, and the scope of the referral.
Upright Forensic Solutions welcomes inquiries from attorneys, courts, Guardians ad Litem, mediators, agencies, and other professionals seeking specialized forensic services in complex matters.