Really sad that after all these years, and such horrible reviews, David still has a practice. He was my evaluator and did not want to listen to anything me or my boys said. My boys are all grown men now, ages 18 - 22, they are intelligent professionals and have often told me how guilty they feel about how things "went down" during my divorce. They have repeatedly asked me if they could speak to David to, "clear the air", but I told them it is not worth it nor is he. David gave my ex full custody despite mountains of evidence that was ignored. This isn't about a winner or loser, it is about listening and caring. Clearly this man is in it for the money. My boys moved out of their mothers house and live with me. The damage David and his cohorts did is unspeakable. Divorce is hard enough without having people like this pray upon vulnerable and scared children. In my opinion, do your homework, read reviews, ask questions but steer clear of this fraud. It is shameful. read more

dr.david finn is a hired gun whom swindled my family and i out of over 30,000. we hired him for an assessment, it was never done and he "disappeared" never heard or seen him again. he won't answer calls and or emails he just took off with our money. do not go to dr. david finn. there is an article written about him by a reporter by michael volpe on substack read it this guys a scam artist and a fraud! report him to idfpr illinois department of financial and professional regulation!!!!!!!!! read more

After reading every other review I almost did not want to waste my time doing another one but nah!.. This office is an absolute joke. David Finn was appointed to my reunification case at the beginning of the Summer. David promised to put me back with my son but after spending the next few months doing evaluations, he passed the case onto his partner with no warning. The only thing he told me was that his schedule was not very busy and felt it would be better to pass it off to his partner Mark Hagler. This "professional" never formally introduced himself or his purpose. His first words were "whats up?" After giving Mr. Hagler my honesty he got very aggressive and loud. He then told me that he was not my enemy... When I responded with "sir you are not my friend" he asked me to leave his office. I would not recommend this office to anyone. Time to close the door boys! read more

As a custody evaluator, Dr. Finn reviewed a large volume of documentation from both parents in a high-conflict divorce. His report was insightful and even-handed, recognizing positives and negatives in both parties. His report formed the foundation of the parenting plan that was eventually put into place. read more

I'm a step-mom who would love to have a relationship with my husband's teen daughter, but cannot because of parental alienation. David Finn (whom I refer to as "Shark-Finn") took nearly a year to perform our court-appointed custody evaluation. He cost us $20,000. Requested multiple unnecessary "follow-up" interviews. Allowed the other party to run up the bill with a long list of collateral calls (one to an unethical therapist removed from the case for inappropriate conduct). He repeated everything the other party claimed as though it were gospel truth. He was very anti-Christian and critical of our beliefs and politics. He sought confirmation of his biases from the beginning, ignoring all evidence we presented (he referenced NONE of our extensive evidence in his final report). He considered nothing within its context, and either misquoted my husband or separated statements from their intended meaning in order to support his already-established views. He made denigrating reports about us to the court, and when we respectfully pointed out the inaccuracies and requested corrections, he refused to do so. He demonstrated no understanding of basic aspects of human psychology, such as the impact on a mother of having grown up abandoned by her own father, and the impetus to reenact/ project this father absence onto her child in the wake of a divorce she initiated (one with sudden, explosive "silver bullet" features such as false allegations, an order of protection, refusal to negotiate, inability to separate the children's interests from her own, continued efforts to portray my husband as "dangerous," and triangulation of third parties into an abuse narrative in which she played victim heroine/ protective mother). Finn's recommendations in his report were that my husband and I undergo "re-education" in order to no longer believe what is true. He discounted the other party's extensive psychiatric history, lies and manipulations, presentation of appropriate parental discipline as "abuse," and violations of the parenting plan (including a call to police and abduction of my stepdaughter from my husband's home following an argument over homework, in which some yelling occurred, but nothing outside normal-range parenting). Finn ignored the fact that the parenting time violation and breakdown in a previously happy, healthy father-daughter relationship occurred just before our marriage (something about which my stepdaughter had understandably mixed feelings-- excitement and apprehension). He dismissed the differences between the experiences of the two children involved (one alienated, one not, despite efforts made to sever the attachments of both to their father). He ignored the fact that my husband consistently promoted a loving relationship between the kids and their mom, regardless of conflicts they had with their mom. He ignored my husband's honorable character and general stability, and the lack of that in the mother. Finn recommended that the mother have sole decision-making based on her withholding of health information and excluding my husband from jointly making decisions. He also made this recommendation based on mind-reading a teenager (he apparently didn't ask her opinion in any of his multiple interviews with her). He wrote confidently in his report that she had clear, legitimate reasons for not wanting to see her father, yet he could not explain them in anything but the vaguest language. Finn claimed I was some kind of submissive Christian wife (oppressed by my "controlling" husband), while at the same time he accused me of being too involved in the litigation, too opinionated, and too influential. He recommended my husband see his daughter two hours a month, contingent on "progress" he and I made in "re-education camp" (i.e., "reunification counseling" with a domestic violence expert). Finn accused us of intending to "re-program" our teen (which he said would be psychologically abusive, although we were more informed on diagnosis and treatment of parental alienation than he was-- he didn't even recognize "splitting"). He saw nothing wrong with his recommendation to "re-program" us out of reality and into re-written history, corrupted memories, delusions, and "feelings over facts" ideology. Finn treated the other party as a "blessed mother" and my husband as an abusive father and family scapegoat. Finn wronged not only us, not only truth and justice, but also a confused teen whose love for her dad is choked by induced fears and imposed delusions coming from a psychologically and spiritually damaged mom. He empowered further emotional child abuse. If Jesus could say from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," my husband and I can say this too of Finn and others like him... God, humble this man's arrogance, have mercy on him, and transform his heart. Make him a force for truth, a champion of families, and a light in this world. read more

I was very impressed with Dr. Finn. He was assigned to my divorce/custody case. He acted with professionalism and was unbiased. He made the best decision for my daughter based off his evaluation. My daughter, who was 6 at the time of evaluation, was extremely comfortable with him and I will be forever grateful. read more

It really is a shame Finn doesn't have any self awareness to follow up on if his professional pontifications about parental alienation (pinned to the wrong parent) and alcohol abuse in remission (is that a professional diagnosis). FOIAs are free .... just a thought, pull a few on some previous clients names and see how they are doing before you strain your arm patting yourself on the back ensuring the safety and mental well being of children all over the Chicagoland area. read more

Also see the reviews this quack has on Google. Known doctor for hire who has NEVER ruled against the lawyer/client that hired him--he's admitted it under oath in court. There are so many things he did incorrectly. Biased. Did not perform same tests on both parents. Never saw me with the children. Never showed up on time to appointment. He has no clinical practice, rather focuses on the more profitable court evaluations. He's not interested in helping people only himself. True story, my 2nd wife hired Dr. Finn. My first spouse told him what I was accused of was truly impossible (we were married 14 years). Dr. Finn did not seem to think that was as important as the lies levied against me without proof. If you have had a terrible experience with him, let me know and I will help you learn how to file a complaint with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (I had ADRC in previous review--that's for complaints against lawyers and another story altogether) as well as the American Psychological Association. It will guarantee a minimum that he will spend a day downtown paying a lawyer to answer for what he has done. They probably won't do anything, but if they keep seeing him over and over they might get the picture. I have been contacted by someone on Yelp with 16 other people that have had similar experiences. Please mark this review as helpful so it will remain posted. read more

I just checked my review for the first time after a few months and found MANY more messages on my review asking me to contact. PLEASE contact me directly through yelp and leave your contact email and/or phone number to discuss. For all those who have messaged me, I have responded to your messages and will be calling the phone numbers provided. Someone contacted me with information that everyone should file an APA Ethics complaint and a complaint with the Illinois License Board. I will post links to those places ASAP and will directly send the info to all who have messaged me! **. Also please note that there are additional reviews for Dr Finn on the "reviews not currently recommended" section. Yelp tucks these away... look closely to find them. read more

We agree with Kim C., RM. and Heidi F....that one star is too high for this doctor! Our case was a high profile, "parental alienation" (mother alienator) case out of Michigan (our case set court precedent for all fathers in Michigan in the appellate courts!) and we chose Dr. Finn because he told us that all supervised visitations are video-taped and that they follow the judge's written order (we live in Illinois while the mother is in Michigan). We learned the hard way that none of the sessions were video-taped and, when we subpoenaed the supervisor's notes, NONE of the court orders were followed in relation to the interaction between the minor child (daughter) and the mother. He also refused to give us the supervisor's notes (which we subpoenaed and did not receive until 2 days before the hearing, which we required the notes for). He aligned himself with the alienating parent (mother) and during the court hearing the supervisors testified that they did not even know why the mother was in supervised visitations!!! His actions, and inactions, allowed a child to continue to be emotionally abused AGAINST THE JUDGE'S ORDERS. Shame on us for trusting in this doctor to uphold court orders and protect a minor child, a child who suffered greatly (and it still goes on) due to the continued emotional abuse allowed by Dr. Finn. read more

Dr. Finn doesn't deserve any stars. He is a quack! first he didn't review the medical records and made a incorrect diagnosis based on no evidence at all. He is only a court evaluator paid by attorney's. He does not practice and treat patients and therefore should not be able to even diagnosis anyone. He should not have a medical license. read more

I was directed by the courts to see Dr. David Finn I did not know him from Adam. But I found him generously understanding helpful in areas where I was failing and fair and impartial to his own views and beliefs even though we did discuss them. As far as Dr Finn out side of court direction I would recommend him and his staff as outstanding resources out side of court requirements, they are compassionate and understanding. No one wants to have to put their family through this experience but Dr Finn and his staff mad me fell conformable and at ease instead of on edge. read more

I have been taught if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. If you are a person in a high conflict custody case and you are the survivor, don't go to this person for an evaluation. He will side the the aggressor. read more

We found Dr. Finn and his entire staff to be extremely compassionate and understanding. Every session Dr. Finn had with my children was a positive experience for them. We were referred to this practice by a very respected attorney, and we are very grateful to her for the recommendation. No one wants to have to put their family through this experience, but Associates in Human Development made a difficult process easier. read more