Forensic Psychiatry Expert Witnesses: 10

Elliott M. Stein, MD is a Geriatric Psychiatrist with over 45 years of experience caring for the elderly. Dr. Stein is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in General Psychiatry (October, 1979) and Geriatric Psychiatry (April, 1991; Re-Certified, December, 2001, April, 2011, December 2022). He is licensed in California and Florida. Dr. Stein was the Director of Psychiatry at the Jewish Home of San Francisco from 2010-2020, and the Medical Director of their Geriatric Psychiatry Hospital. He has treated older individuals, typically people who have complex combination of psychiatric and medical problems. Dr. Stein has been a Member of the Task Force on Testamentary Capacity and Undue Influence, for the International PsychoGeriatric Association.

Dr. Stein is a Clinical Professor (Voluntary) in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry and a Life Member of the International PsychoGeriatric Association.

He is available to serve as an Expert Witness, do legal and forensic consultation, record review, and assessments concerning Psychiatric issues in Older Individuals. Dr. Stein offers his services to attorneys for both Plaintiff or Defense.

Areas of Expertise:

• Contested Wills and Trusts
• Testamentary Capacity, Undue Influence, Insane Delusions
• Financial Elder Abuse
• Geriatric Competence/Capacity
• Dementia and Delirium, Alzheimer’s Disease
• Geriatric Psychiatry Evaluation and Treatment, Psychiatric Medication, Psychotherapeutic Issues
• Depression and Anxiety Disorders
• Relationship Problems between the Elderly and their Adult Children
• Aging and Mental Disorders
• Geriatric Psychiatry issues in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Memory Care, Independent and Assisted Living Facilities
• Medicare Psychiatric Services Coding and Documentation

View Dr. Stein's Consulting Profile.

Sanjay Adhia, MD, MRO, is triple-Board-Certified in Psychiatry, Brain Injury Medicine, and Forensic Psychiatry. In addition to forensic/expert witness practice, Dr. Adhia treats patients at renowned TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital. His forensic practice focuses on the psychiatric impact of personal injury, medical malpractice, Multi-Plaintiff and Toxic Tort cases, testamentary capacity, undue influence and Dementia, TBI Brain injuries, competency, mental illness and complicating medical conditions. 

Dr. Adhia is among one of a select few Forensic Psychiatrists co-Board-Certified in Brain Injury Medicine. 

Dr. Adhia treats and opines about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in litigation as it can result in psychiatric or neurocognitive impairments. He always assesses for Malingering.

In addition, Dr. Adhia works with Physicians for Human Rights to assess victims of kidnapping and false imprisonment, human trafficking, undue influence, physical and sexual abuse, rape, and fear of imminent death. 

In all populations, he assesses PTSD, Anxiety, Depressive Disorders, risk of suicide, and malingering. 

He is experienced in the treatment and impact of drug and alcohol abuse on decision-making. Dr. Adhia has also treated severe psychosis (Schizophrenia, hallucinations) and psychopathology. He formerly treated patients at a Maximum Security Prison and prison psychiatric hospital. 

Dr. Adhia’s findings consider complicating factors, e.g., emotional distress worsened by active physical and mental conditions, and pre-existing mental and physical illness (e.g. depression, PTSD, Dementia, Alzheimer's, medication.) 

As a physician, Dr. Adhia is uniquely qualified to review and examine and incorporate medical records and doctor reports in his reports. This is especially important in medical-malpractice & standard of care cases in treaters, inpatient, rehab, hospital, government, corrections and psychiatric hospitals. Dr. Adhia is skilled in these med-legal issues. 

He conducts Independent Medical Examinations, review of records, and reports findings to courts and attorneys. He is available to testify in civil, criminal, probate, Federal, Immigration, military, and administrative jurisdictions.

Kerry Mendes, M.D., Child, Adolescent and Adult Forensic Psychiatrist joined Dr. Adhia in 2022.

Violence Sexual abuse Malpractice and Standard of Care Alcohol and Drug Abuse Dementia and IDD Psychopharmacology Competency

PTSD Suicide Psychiatric Injury Will Contest Correctional Fitness for Duty Brain Injury

Dwight Owens, MD, Chief Psychiatrist for Peachstate Psychiatric Service Is a Board- Certified Psychiatrist, Forensic trained and Master Certified Independent Medical Examiner. He been practicing medicine for more than 30 years in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care.

Litigation Support - In recent years, Dr. Owens has worked on greater than 50 competency evaluations, more than 50 IME’s, and also served as an expert more than 25 times and has extensive experience in medical record reviews. His services are available to lay persons, law firms and private attorneys, independent medical examiners, hospitals, employers, and criminal justice systems. Dr. Owens has been practicing medicine throughout the state of Georgia and currently holds licenses in both Georgia and New York. 

Areas of Expertise: 

Independent Medical Exams (IMEs) Fitness for Duty DBQ Exams / Nexus Letter for Veterans Medical Record Review Injury Claims / PTSD, MST, Personal Injuries

Second Opinion Evaluations Psychiatric Impairment Exams Criminal Responsibility Exams Testamentary Capacity Competency to Stand Trial

Dr. Owens received his Bachelor’s degree from the prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his medical doctorate from Health Science Center (HSC) at Syracuse in 1994. He then returned to Macon, Georgia where he attended Mercer University’s School of Medicine, and obtained an internship certificate in the area of Family Medicine. In 1998. On completion of his Adult and General Psychiatry training, he attended Emory University in Atlanta Georgia and completed a fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry. (Psychiatry and the Law). In 1999 he became board-certified in Adult and General Psychiatry.

James H. Reich, MD, MPH, is a board-certified Forensic Psychiatrist with extensive civil psychiatry experience who has done hundreds of evaluations.

After getting his MD from the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver, Dr. Reich earned his MPH at Yale University and did his psychiatric residency at UC Davis. Dr. Reich has held academic positions at Yale, Iowa, Harvard, and Brown Universities.  Currently, he has teaching appointments at the professor level at both UCSF and Stanford University. Throughout his career, he has published over a hundred peer-reviewed publications. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Reich’s services are available for civil and some criminal law cases. Clients are assured of his personal dedication to each case. He does high quality research, expert evaluations, writes a solid report, and will testify well. Dr. Reich has been deposed over 50 times.

Areas of Expertise:

Antisocial Personality Disorder Antisocial Behavior Sadistic Personality Disorder Borderline Personality Disorder Competency to Stand Trial Depression Fitness for Duty Generalized Anxiety Disorder Psychiatry Malpractice

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Panic Disorder Anxiety and Alcohol Personality Disorders Post Traumatic Stress Disorder / PTSD Psychiatric Disability Morbidity of Dependent Personality Disorder Social Anxiety Disorder Somatoform Disorder - Hypochondriasis Suicide

Presentations - As faculty at the Stanford Forensic Fellowship program, Dr. Reich has given two talks to the group. On October 27, 2023, he presented, "What Gets Psychiatrists and other Medical Professionals into Problems with the Law or Regulators." On January 19, 2024, he presented a talk on Psychiatric Disability to the same group. Dr. Reich is also supervising a fellow on his project on competency issues in older physicians.

Gregory P. Brown, MD, is a is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and specializes in the fields of adult Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. His private office is dedicated to the practice of Forensic Psychiatry, and includes evaluations for matters in civil court, criminal court, family court, and independent psychiatric evaluations.

Dr. Brown is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and the Residency Training Program Director, at the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine. He founded the Psychiatry Residency Training Program, and has been the Residency Training Director since the time of the first entering class in 2004, under the UNRSOM.

Litigation Support - Dr. Brown has extensive experience in medico-legal work. As a Board Certified Forensic Psychiatrist, he has worked in diverse areas of this subspecialty of psychiatry. Dr. Brown offers litigations support services to attorneys for Plaintiff and Defendant.

Services include Disability Evaluations, Estate Planning Capacity Evaluations, Independent Psychiatric Evaluations, Medical Board Evaluations, Fitness for Duty Evaluations, Department of Energy Fitness Evaluations, Social Security Appeals Record Reviews, and Independent File Reviews for Medical Necessity and for Disability Claims.

Forensic Experience Includes:

• Criminal Court Evaluations - Competence to Stand Trial, Assessment of Criminal Responsibility, NGRI Assessments
• Civil Court Evaluations - Personal Injury with Psychiatric symptoms, Brain Injury with Psychiatric symptoms, Malpractice related questions
• Family Court Evaluations - Involuntary Commitment, Guardianship, Testamentary Capacity, Undue Influence, Contractual Capacity, Fitness to Parent, Child Custody
• Third Party Forensic Evaluations - Fitness for Duty, Return to Work, Disability, ADA Accommodations, Medical Necessity, Independent Psychiatric Evaluations

Gloria Kardong, MD, DLFAPA, DABPN is a Board Certified Psychiatrist who has been in full time private practice in Palo Alto, CA for over 35 years, Licensed in 10 states. She is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University Medical Center and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. 

Dr. Kardong offers Forensic Psychiatric litigation support services in civil and criminal cases to attorneys for Plaintiff and Defense. Her services include General Psychiatric Issues, Women's OB/GYN Issues, and Trauma/PTSD. Dr. Kardong has served as a Psychiatric Consultant and Expert Witness for Stanford University Schools of Law and Medicine, the California Medical Board, and private attorneys nationwide.

Areas of Expertise: 

Forensic Psychiatry, General Psychiatry, women's health care, OB-GYN related psychiatric issues, eg postpartum depression, sexual abuse, sexual, physical and psychological trauma, PTSD, adoption. Personal injury. Medical malpractice. Discrimination. Psychological autopsy. Medical case review. Trial consultant.

Women's Health Care Specialist - Psychiatry / OB-GYN Interface:

Pregnancy-Related Psychiatric Problems Psychiatric Medications in Pregnancy and Postpartum Postpartum Depression / Psychosis Infertility Gynecologic Oncology

Menopause Hormonal Issues Childhood Sexual / Other Abuse Adult Consequences of abuse Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Sexual Assault

Impaired Professionals:

• Physicians
• Mental Health Providers
• Attorneys
• Executives / Professionals
• Organizations

Consultation Services for Businesses and Organizations:

Standard of Care Hospital and Medical Ethics Healthcare Practices and Records Discrimination Harassment Disabilities	Human Factors Human Resources Alternative Dispute Resolution Psychological Consequences of Workplace Injuries Wrongful Termination Product Liability Executive Coaching

View Dr. Kardong's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Danny Allen, Consultant Adult Psychiatrist is fully trained and experienced in report writing and regularly appears as an Expert Witness in Family Proceedings. Dr. Allen is an Approved Clinician, approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 and a Cardiff University accredited Expert Witness and a member of the Expert Witness Institute, the Academy of Experts and the Society of Expert Witnesses. He holds consultancies with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Workplace Health (Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust) The Maidenhead Clinic, Phoenix Mental Health Services/Cardinal Clinic and BMI The Shelburne Hospital.

Dr. Allen appears in court regularly in public law cases. He has undertaken a number of high profile cases for Customs and Excise and the Crown Prosecution Service, including alleged rapes and murders. Dr. Allen provides services for lawyers, social services and businesses. His reports are also available to Employment & Housing Tribunals and Employers and Licensing Authorities.

Type of Reports Prepared:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Depression

Drug & Alcohol

Specific Phobia

Sexual Offense

Adjustment Disorder

Family Proceedings

Personal Injury

Criminal Reports

Head Injury

Capacity

Jessica Chaudhary, MD, is a Board Certified, Harvard and Yale trained Psychiatrist with specialties in Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology. Dr. Chaudhary is a clinical instructor at Yale, and a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She has over 10 years of experience focusing on her fileds of expertise.

Dr. Chaudhary treats conditions such as anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, attention deficit disorders, women's mental health issues, substance use disorders, psychosis, and dementia with behavioral disturbance.  She has expertise in caring for those with complex medical and co-morbid psychiatric conditions, and she treats individuals across the life span. 

Dr. Chaudhary can provide all services through TELEHEALTH.

Litigation Support - Dr. Chaudhary offers litigation support services in civil and criminal cases to attorneys for Plaintiff and Defense. She is a private consultant and expert witness for attorneys and organizations nationwide. Her services include:

• General Psychiatric Issues
• Women's OB / GYN Issues
• Substance Abuse Issues
• Evaluation and Treatment of Impaired Professionals (and/or consultation with their professional organizations)
• Independent Medical Examination
• Disability Evaluation

Education: Wellesley College, BA; University of Washington School of Medicine, MD; Yale University, Internship and Residency in Psychiatry; Harvard University, Fellowship in Psychosomatic Medicine

Medical Licenses: CT, MA, FL, TX

View Dr. Jessica Chaudhary's Consulting Profile.

Monica M. Argumedo, MD, is a Board-Certified Forensic and Clinical Psychiatrist (ABPN). Dr. Argumedo has testified about her forensic opinions in more than 40 cases in open court. In psychiatric practice for more than 15 years, Dr. Argumedo teaches at Rush University Medical School/Rush University Medical Center as Assistant Professor in Psychiatry. She teaches psychiatry residents in topics related to psychiatry and the law, and psychiatry in medicine. She also interviews prospective medical students through her role on the Medical Admissions Committee.

Dr. Argumedo works with Employers in cases where mental health/psychiatric concerns about an employee require an objective and unbiased Fitness for Duty Evaluation and report. She also consults in employment matters and litigation and serves as a disclosed expert witness. Her work addresses fitness for duty (FFD) in a litigated environment, Wrongful Termination, and Psychiatric Disability. Additional experience includes FFD of peace officers and first responders.

Services - Forensic Psychiatry, Medico-Legal evaluations, medical complications, review of records, written reports, deposition testimony, trial testimony, consultation to attorneys addressing psychiatric issues relevant in a case, opposing counsel expert reports or expert qualifications, assisting with cross-examination questions, and lines of inquiry.

Areas of Expertise:

Fitness for Duty Wrongful Termination Psychiatric Disability Depression Anxiety PTSD Competency Dementia Cognitive Behavior Emotional Distress

Pain and Suffering Standard of Care Institutional Care Medical Malpractice Discrimination Harassment Hostile Workplace Pre-employment Evaluation Security-sensitive Security Clearance