Board Certified in Clinical Psychology
and Forensic Psychology

Practice

On the stand

Mark D. Cunningham, Ph.D., ABPP is a board-certified clinical and forensic psychologist, and nationally-recognized researcher and scholar. In state and federal courts throughout the United States, his careful, insightful evaluations have illuminated determinations of:

  • competency to stand trial,
  • competency to waive Miranda rights,
  • competency for execution,
  • mental state at time of offense,
  • PSRB suitability for conditional release,
  • juvenile sentencing/re-sentencing (Miller evaluation),
  • intellectual disability (Atkins evaluation),
  • capital mitigation,
  • capital violence risk assessment for prison,
  • psychological injury in civil cases,
  • child custody and visitation access,
  • and other forensic issues.

Dr. Cunningham has pioneered the use of innovative digital demonstrative exhibits and graphic models in compellingly illustrating his testimony. In both peer-reviewed journals and edited books, he has published groundbreaking research and authored treatises on recommendations for best practice in forensic evaluations.

Testimony

At its annual conference in Chicago in November 2022, the American Academy of Forensic Psychology honored Dr. Cunningham’s seminal contributions to the field with the AAFP Award for Distinguished Contribution to Forensic Psychology. Dr. Cunningham was honored in January 2019 in New Orleans with the American Correctional Association Peter P. Lejins Research Award. Dr. Cunningham was recognized in November 2017 with a commendation in London by the judges for the John Maddox Prize, an annual international award for promoting sound science in the face of difficulty and hostility. Dr. Cunningham’s scholarship and that of other chapter authors were recognized in 2016 with an award by the American Psychology-Law Society for a text for which he had contributed a chapter. Dr. Cunningham’s scholarship and practice were recognized with the National Register of Health Service Psychologists A. M. Welner, Ph.D. Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed by this organization of 15,000 psychologists. His research was previously honored with the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research in Public Policy and the Texas Psychological Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Science. Dr. Cunningham was elected to Fellow status in the American Psychological Association, a distinction reflecting uncommon and outstanding contribution to the practice and science of psychology on a national level. Dr. Cunningham’s practice of clinical and forensic psychology is national in scope, and he is licensed as a psychologist in 14 states* and has provided evaluations and testimony in 42 states and Puerto Rico.

*Licensed psychologist: Alaska #116954, Arizona #3662, Arkansas #98-17P, Colorado #2305, Florida #PY8347, Idaho #PSY-379, Louisiana #794, Nevada #PY0625, New Mexico #PSY-2022-0051, New York #017111, Oregon #1333, Pennsylvania #PS016942, Texas #22351, Washington #PY60207411