The psychiatrist must select the facts and impressions that are most pertinent to the court's concerns and must organize them in a logical and orderly way with the facts first and the impressions later. They must be presented clearly and convincingly and be authoritative without being arrogant. The report must also be written with the understanding that its author may be called into court to defend it. Each report has two general components: standard elements contained in all reports and elements specific to the particular case. An introductory section should present identifying information, the reason for the referral, and sources of information. A summary of the examination should contain a history of current problems, the past personal history, the results of the mental status examination and psychological testing, and the results of interviews with family members. The final two sections are (1) the diagnostic formulation and (2) the summary of psychiatric findings and discussion of legal questions and recommendations. Checklists