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This is the first of a two-part paper. The first paper will explore the forensic social worker in the role of expert examiner and witness for immigration lawyers and the immigration court. The second paper will explore the many issues that need to be examined during the biopsychosocial interview to ensure a complete assessment. This paper will consider the four types of cases referred to immigration experts in forensic social work: Spousal abuse cases, criminal immigration cases, hardship cases, and asylum cases.

This is the second in a series of papers concerning forensic immigration social work. The first paper examined the broad issues and types of cases that require consultation by a forensic social worker in immigration cases. This paper will examine the pertinent legal standards that the forensic social worker must be aware of and the essential areas of inquiry in the evaluation of spousal abuse cases. The following two papers will examine the other two major types of cases referred from immigration lawyers: asylum and criminal and “hardship” immigration cases. The final paper in the series will examine the forensic social worker's presentation of the case as expert testimony in immigration court and highlight winning strategies.