Psychology (General) Expert Witnesses

Diana Birch, MD, has extensive experience acting as an Expert Assessor and Expert Witness in a variety of Family and Child Care Actions both civil and criminal. She is very experienced in working with young people and families, particularly in child neglect and protection, family disturbance, substance abuse and domestic violence.

Dr. Birch is a leading authority on:

• Adolescence
• Teenage Pregnancy and Early Parenting
• Assessments - Day, Age, Emotional, Outpatient, and Community assessments
• Psychopathic Personalities
• Borderline Personalities
• Learning Disabilities
• Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse
• Factitious Illness (Munchausen)
• Family Conflicts such as Child Alienation

For twenty years, Dr. Birch ran a residential assessment unit where she evaluated high risk families, substance and alcohol abuse patients and dealt with an age range from babies to grandparents. She now conducts assessments on an outreach and community basis.

Dr. Birch has also worked with individuals and "private" cases such as custody disputes. The assessment work and medico legal context has meant that over 50 cases are reported on each year with equivalent court appearances. This has been formally evaluated in published work.

Dr. Birch is a:

• Member of the Academy of Experts (Checked expert)
• Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (for whom she is also an assessor for Paediatric Consultants)
• Fellow Royal Institute Public Health
• Fellow of Royal College of Physicians
• Fellow of the Society for Adolescent Medicine (USA).

Offices also in USA and Caribbean

Alan J. Waldman, MD, has practiced Forensic Neuropsychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry for over 25 years. He specializes in the evaluation of head injuries, dementia, any type of post accident cerebral neuropathy, and any neuropsychiatric / psychiatric disorder. The learning and honing of Dr. Waldman's skills progressed through his stint as full time faculty at the University of Florida, his subsequent private practice, the neuropsychiatric consultant to a head injury rehabilitation and residential facility, and the medical directorship of a 217 bed State of Florida forensic psychiatric institution. While at the institution, he did consultations on the head injured patients and those suspected of malingering. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Waldman has evaluated over 200 respondents or potential respondents, for the state and defense in Florida's post incarceration sex offender program. He has testified in approximately 50 hearings and trials (again for both sides) and has been qualified as an expert in the prediction of sex offender recidivism risk. He has a great deal of experience in the detection of Embellishment and Malingering. 

Dr. Waldman has been qualified as an expert witness in circuit, county, and federal courts through out Florida. He was retained by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin for a case involving questions of malingering by a death row inmate whose case was remanded back to the Federal District Court in Austin by the U.S. Supreme Court. Dr. Waldman has been recognized as an expert by courts in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, New Hampshire, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, The Bahamas and Texas. 

Areas of Expertise:

Sexually Violent Predator Evaluations Brain Injury Criminology Competence to Proceed (Stand Trial) Forensic Psychiatry IMEs Malingering Embellishment Neurophysiology Neuropsychiatry

Neuropsychology Neuropsychopharmacology Impaired Driver Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Sanity / Trial Competency Sexual Abuse Cognitive Impairments Sexual Harassment / Discrimination Spousal Abuse Stalking Suicide

Emin Gharibian, PsyD, is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in Forensic Psychology and Neuropsychology with over 10 years of experience in assessing, treating, and consulting on psychological disorders.

Dr. Gharibian's training and experience have been in psychological and neuropsychological assessments in a variety of clinical settings including private practice, outpatient mental health clinics, psychiatric hospitals, forensic hospitals, and correctional facilities. 

He specializes in providing comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for a variety of conditions including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, complications from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, concussions, learning disabilities, ADHD, and PTSD in clinical, civil, and criminal cases. 

In addition to his private practice, Dr. Gharibian is a staff psychologist and medical staff member at Patton State Hospital, a 1,500-bed maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital housing judicially committed patients under the following commitment types: Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), Incompetent to Stand Trial, Mentally Disordered Offender, and Mentally Disordered Sex Offender.  

As a forensic psychologist at Patton State Hospital, Dr. Gharibian conducts competency evaluations with criminally committed patients with severe mental illness and cognitive deficits. He routinely conducts psychological evaluations to evaluate patients and determine if they are competent to stand trial, writes court reports, and testifies in court as an expert witness. 

Dr. Gharibian has been appointed to the Los Angeles Juvenile Court Expert Witness Panel. He is also a member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the American Psychology and Law Society. 

Areas of Forensic Expertise:

Personal Injury Independent Medical Evaluations Worker's Compensation Fitness for Duty Police Officer Pre-Employment Evaluations Immigration Cases Diminished Capacity Violence Risk Assessments Mitigating Factors in Criminal Cases Civil Capacity (Testamentary Capacity, Undue Influence, Contractual Capacity) Symptom Validity/ Malingering

Forensic Psychology Forensic Neuropsychology Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Concussions Neurocognitive Impairment from Substance Use Complications from stroke Dementia Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Learning Disabilities ADHD Sexual Harassment Discrimination

Brent Coker, PhD, is an Online Consumer Psychologist. With a PhD in Electronic Commerce (“Predicting Internet Purchase Intention”), Dr. Coker's research focusses on consumer behavior within the realm of psychology, digital business models, and marketing. He currently teaches Digital Marketing and Digital Business Models at the University of Melbourne.

Dr Coker prepares scientific reports pertaining to consumer behavior, branding, and Digital Marketing and technology related topics, based on scientific findings published in academic peer reviewed journals, and other third party relevant research. Any opinions expressed by Dr Coker are supported by peer reviewed academic research, established academic theory, industry standards, and other relevant logical evidence. 

Dr. Coker’s award winning research into digital marketing and consumer behavior has been published in top peer reviewed academic journals, beginning in 2004 when his research into the integration of the internet into business models won Best Paper Award at the 15th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS). In the late 1990s, Dr. Coker had a dot-com (fernland.com), and he is currently director of Deloosh Pty Ltd.., inventor of the web analytics tool Webreep., and author of the book Going Viral.

 Dr. Coker is available for expert witness work, consultation, and advisement in Australia and internationally.

Areas of Expertise:

Brand Management Consumer Behavior Consumer Psychology Digital marketing Influencer Marketing

Internet Retail Internet marketing strategy Measuring the online consumer experience Social Media Viral Marketing

View Dr. Brent Coker's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Ernst specializes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Competency/Capacity evaluations, and employment evaluations. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and one of fewer than 35 psychologists in California who have undergone the rigorous examination process necessary to obtain Board Certification in Forensic Psychology. As a trauma expert, Dr. Ernst chose to complete an additional year of fellowship training in PTSD at the San Francisco Veterans Hospital.  Having completed over 350 forensic evaluations, Dr. Ernst is frequently retained to conduct a diverse range of civil and criminal evaluations including, but not limited to, mitigation evaluations (juvenile & adult), competency/capacity evaluations, personal injury evaluations, mental state at the time of the offense evaluations, violence risk assessment, and employment evaluations. He is currently a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the California Department of Industrial Relations and serves as a member of the Criminal Panel for Psychological and Psychiatric Experts for multiple Superior Courts. Dr. Ernst's past professional experiences including providing treatment and expert testimony as a member of the medical staff of Napa State Hospital and completing VA forensic evaluations on veteran's alleging psychiatric injury from military trauma. Areas of Expertise:

Assessment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Personal Injury Evaluations Employment Evaluations Assessment of Civil and Criminal Competencies Violence Risk Assessment / Threat Assessment Mitigation Evaluations Capital Sentencing Evaluations MSO Evaluations Assessment of Neuropsychological Functioning Assessment of Malingering

Independent Medical Exams (IME) Trial Consultation Disability Evaluations Drug Abuse / Drug Addictions Anxiety Disorders Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) Depressive Disorders Panic Disorders Schizophrenia Assessments Violence Evaluations

Alameda Office 1402 Park St., Suite C Alameda, CA 94501 Telephone: 415-913-8096

View Dr. Ernst's Consulting Profile.

Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, is a licensed, practicing, quadruple-board certified general, Child / Adolescent and Addiction Psychiatrist with 20 years of practice experience. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Taylor received his medical degree from the Howard University College of Medicine, and completed a "Triple Board" residency in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Bronx Municipal Hospital Center in The Bronx, New York.

Dr. Taylor has treated numerous children, adolescents, and adults for a variety of psychiatric and substance use disorders, including Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. He has also served as a Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Huntsville campus of the University of Alabama School of Medicine.

Litigation Support -With a wealth of hospital and private practice experience treating adolescents and adults with alcoholism and other drug addictions, Dr. Taylor is amply qualified to serve as an expert witness for plaintiff and defendant in cases involving addiction disorders, including alcoholism. Accordingly, he has served as an expert witness, reviewing records, providing depositions, and/or appearing and testifying in court in more than 10 cases over the past 8 years.

Areas of Expertise:

Addiction Behavior Addiction Diseases Addiction Medicine Alcohol / Drug Abuse Alcohol Toxicology Amphetamines Narcotics Cocaine Addiction Heroin LSD Marijuana / Medical Marijuana

Psychiatric Malpractice / Standards of Care Pediatric Psychiatry Adult Psychiatry Clinical Psychiatry Public Health Psychiatry Antidepressants Bipolar Disorder Anxiety / Depression Suicide Psychiatric Disability / Disorders Psychopharmacology

View Dr. Taylor's Consulting Profile.

Suzanne Dupée, MD, is a triple board certified Adult, Child, and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatrist specializing in Independent Medical Examinations (IME), Child Custody Evaluations, Fitness for Duty Evaluations, and expert witness for the California Medical, Veterinary, and Dental Boards.

Litigation Support - Dr. Dupée has an active forensic psychiatric practice specializing in family law, criminal law, dependency law, civil litigation and disability.  She has been designated as an expert in Federal Court, Family Court, Criminal Court, Dependency Court, Juvenile Delinquency and Civil Court in California, Arizona, and New York states.  She is an expert for several Los Angeles Superior Court panels:  Criminal, Child Custody Evaluator, Dependency Court and Juvenile Delinquency.  

Dr. Dupée has testified over 150 times in various courtrooms and has been deposed over 80 times.  She has worked on high profile cases and death penalty cases. She specializes in forensic evaluations of families in crisis and has completed 100s of Child Custody Evaluations and all forms of psychiatric evaluations for families in crisis.

Dr. Dupee has been retained in 100s of legal cases in civil, family law, criminal, disability and dependency cases. She has completed over 1,000 evaluations in various courts and for insurance companies and government boards. She has been retained by plaintiffs and defense counsel in civil cases.

Areas of Expertise:

Forensic Psychiatry Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Child Custody Solution-Focused Custody Evaluations Child Abuse Work-Related Disability Independent Medical Examinations Family Therapy

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder  Civil Psychiatric Evaluations Sexual Harassment Competency to Stand Trial Insanity Evaluations Adult Psychiatry Psychopharmacology Individual Psychotherapy

View Dr. Dupée's Consulting Profile.

Susan Streeter, PhD, QME, is a Licensed Psychologist with over 30 years of professional experience. Dr. Streeter has provided psychological services to individuals, families, and couples in private practice and also in psychiatric clinics and hospitals. She has taught graduate-level classes and developed an alternative eating disorder treatment program.

Litigation Services - Dr. Streeter has testified in court approximately 40 times over the past three decades. Her psychological assessments are available to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. Dr. Streeter provides forensic evaluations and expert witness testimony in the following areas:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder related to a wrongful death event medical expert witness
• Qualified medical evaluations
• Court-related evaluations
• Adoption matters
• DUI-based trauma and death of a relative

Dr. Streeter also provides expert testimony specifically related to the needs of children in areas such as:

• Emotional, physical, and psychological trauma of young children, teenagers, and adults
• Child abuse / Child sexual abuse
• Evaluation and testimony for traumatized children
• Trauma related to negligence & wrongful death events
• Testimony regarding children as the primary witness of domestic violence and/or murder
• Motor vehicle accidents trauma

View Dr. Streeter's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Samuel Romirowsky, PhD is a Forensic Psychologist with over 30 years of clinical experience. He is currently licensed to practice in Newark, Delaware and Media, and Pennsylvania.

Dr. Romirowsky is a member of the American Board of Forensic Examiners, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, American Psychological Association, Pennsylvania Psychological Association, Delaware Psychological Association, and the Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1978 and has been in private practice since that time.

Dr. Romirowsky provides expert witness testimony in civil and criminal litigations, industrial accident board litigations, social security administration hearings, child custody evaluations, and parent coordination mediations. He also offers psychological evaluation services for airmen with allegations of misuse of drugs or alcohol under Federal Aviation Administration guidelines. Dr. Romirowsky has served as an independent psychological evaluator and expert witness in hundreds of cases for both plaintiffs and defendants.

Civil Litigation Services:

• Personal Injury & Workers Compensation
• Independent Psychological Evaluations
• Records Review
• Expert Witness Testimony
• Individual and Family Counseling
• Evaluations for Fitness to Return to Duty, Carry Firearms, Manage Personal Affairs
• Consultation with Attorneys on Case Strategy
• Evaluations to Rule Out Malingering
• Narrative Report by Request

Criminal Litigation:

• Psychological Evaluations of Defendants and Victims
• Competency and Pre-sentencing Evaluations
• Analysis of Child Advocacy Center and Child Protective Services Interviews
• Expert Witness Testimony

View Dr. Romirowsky's Consulting Profile.

Rose Porterfield Group (RPG) has over 30 years of experience providing Business Performance and Human Resource services. As experts in human behavior, we provide litigation support strategy and testimony for attorneys and corporations. Offering unbiased, detailed, and objective expert opinion on all aspects of human behavior in the workplace, we can help determine the facts, motivations, and human factors involved in the case.

Forensic and Expert Testimony Cases Include:

• Sexual Harassment
• Workplace Injury
• Discrimination
• Retaliation
• Wrongful Termination

Robyn W. Porterfield, PhD - Managing Principal at RPG, spent over ten years in sales and marketing prior to completing her PhD in Industrial Psychology. While completing her PhD, Dr. Porterfield served as Director of Client Services for a Texas-based on-line psychological testing firm, consulting to management on such issues as individual and team fit, conflict resolution, hiring, coaching, and management succession planning.

As a consultant, Dr. Porterfield has assessed executives in such diverse industries as financial management, food service, telecommunications and retail. For five years Robyn and Bob co-wrote a column for the Dallas Business Journal titled, C-Level Coach. Robyn is also a professional mediator and currently mediates for Dispute Resolution Services of Tarrant County, Texas.

Robert G. Rose, PhD, Principal at RPG, received his PhD from Florida State University. Since 1976 he has served as consultant to organizations in virtually every industry including health care, retail, IT services, manufacturing, construction, aviation, and many others. In his over 30 years as a consultant, Dr. Rose has encountered virtually every problem that an organization can experience, and has seen that good teamwork - from hiring to development - always benefits both the individual and the company.

Bob is the author of numerous articles on communication, crisis handling, and conceptualizing purpose and culture within organizations, and his books on consulting are required reading by major corporations..

View RPG's Consulting Profile.

Ray S. Kim, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Forensic Psychologist. Dr. Kim is also a Board Registered Mental Illness / Substance Abuse Provider, Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association, Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties, Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, and Fellow of the American College of Advanced Practice Psychologists. Dr. Kim is currently the Director of Chicago Metropolitan Forensic Services at the Illinois Department of Human Services where he supervises a team of clinical psychologists and social workers who evaluate the placement of individuals into forensic facilities. He also serves as the Director of Clinical Training at Chicago Metropolitan Forensic Services where he developed and supervises a forensic practicum program which provides opportunities for specialized clinical training in the area of forensic psychology. Litigation Support - Since 2010, Dr. Kim has testified in over 40 cases in both criminal and civil court proceedings. He is sensitive to the nature of legal matters, and provides comprehensive, timely, and professional services. Dr. Kim's services are available to attorneys or defendants seeking a qualified evaluator to help support a case, or wishing to obtain a second opinion on a legal matter already in progress. He is skilled in utilizing the field of psychology's most up-to-date assessments to provide recommendations for prosecution or defense teams. Areas of Expertise:

• Psychological Evaluations
• Pre-Sentencing Evaluations
• Sex Offender Evaluations
• Violence Risk Assessments
• Competency to Waive Miranda Rights
• Diminished Capacity
• Fitness for Duty Evaluations
• Substance Abuse Assessments
• Independent Medical Examinations (personal injury, workers' compensation, disability determination, malpractice)
• Detection of Malingering
• Federal Evaluations (competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility)

View Dr. Kim's Consulting Profile.

Deanna E. Foster, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist and President of Psychological Resources and Services, Inc. with 20 years experience in assessing psychological disorders within the context of Employment and Disability issues.

Background - Since 1993, Dr. Foster has been evaluating and counseling management and employees and designing interventions to improve performance, interpersonal behavior, and stress management. She has developed policy and procedure strategies to reduce stress, addressed disruptive interpersonal dynamics in the workplace, and designed and developed interventional strategies to minimize conflict, and improving morale, productivity and efficiency. Her clients have included Apollo Group, Applied Materials, Avnet, Inc., Barclays Global Investors, Black & Decker, DHL, Motorola, Inc., NIKE, Northern Trust Bank, Pitzer College, Sonic Air, Division of UPS, and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.

Litigation Support - Dr. Foster serves as a Forensic Psychology expert witness conducting a broad range of psychological assessments with validity and symptom magnification measures. Her cases include employment law, civil cases, personal injury, disability claims, and psychological injury as it relates to either physical injury or employment situations, such as sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful terminations, and ADA.

Dr. Foster's services include Agreed Medical Evaluations, Independent Medical Evaluations, Panel Qualified Medical Examinations, and Parole Hearing Assessments. She Writes comprehensive and timely psychological reports delineating how psychological issues correspond to legal determinations. Her expertise is available to counsel representing plaintiff and defendant.

Areas of Expertise:

Retaliation Discrimination Sexual Harassment Hostile Work Environment Disability Issues (ADA) Physical Injury

Wrongful Termination Fitness for Duty Work Stress Disorders Depression Trauma Anxiety

View Dr. Foster's Consulting Profile.

Steven Gaskell, Psy.D. is a Forensic Psychologist, license eligible in all 50 states. He has years of extensive experience providing a variety of Forensic Psychological Evaluations and testifying regarding a variety of legal issues. Dr. Gaskell has completed more than 2000 Forensic Psychological Assessments including over 600 pre-trial Competency to Stand Trial or Fitness to Stand Trial and Criminal Responsibility (Insanity Defense) psychological evaluations and he has provided expert testimony these issues on numerous occasions. Competency to Stand Trial/ Fitness to Stand Trial Criminal Responsibility or Sanity at the Time of the Offense Mitigating Factors Assessment Miranda Rights Issues (voluntariness, competency to confess, interrogative suggestibility) Malingering and Deception Sexual Assault Allegations Sex Offender Evaluations Sexually Violent Person Evaluations Pedophilia Paraphilias Future Likelihood of Sexual Re-Offense

Glen D. Skoler, PhD is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with over 25 years of experience in court evaluations and testimony. Dr. Skoler is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. He has been qualified as an expert witness in clinical and forensic psychology in several state courts and in Federal U.S. District, military, and immigration courts. Dr. Skoler's clinical psychology practice also provides psychotherapy and psychological testing in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Dr. Skoler's forensic psychology practice provides court evaluations, testing and expert witness testimony in criminal, civil, juvenile court, military, immigration, employment, and domestic relations cases. State and Federal court cases are accepted from around the nation, particularly in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, as well as the tri-state area of Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. His services are offered equally to defense, prosecuting, county, family law, and civil litigation attorneys.

Dr. Skoler's additional specialized areas of expertise include political and relationship-related threatening and stalking, false confessions, abuse allegations and interstate and international child abduction/retention cases. Dr. Skoler served as a contributing author and expert panel member for the ABA's Benchbook on Psychiatric and Psychological Evidence and Testimony. He has consulted with or presented to the Federal Judicial Center, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Senate Chaplain, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the American Bar Association and CIA/NSA psychology staff. He has published or been cited in the Washington Post, NPR, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Huffington Post, CBS 48 Hours and on NBC and Fox news affiliates.

Criminal Law & Civil Litigation:

• Criminal Insanity
• Mental Competency
• Personal Injury & Emotional Harm
• Risk Assessments
• Sentencing Evaluations
• Psychological, Neuropsychological & Substance Abuse Evaluations & Testing
• Immigration Evaluations
• Discrimination & Disability Evaluations
• Court-Martials
• Domestic Abuse & Stalking
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

Juvenile & Domestic Relations Evaluations

• Custody
• Parental Alienation
• Parental Fitness
• Child Retention/Abduction Evaluations
• Juvenile Court Evaluations
• Motions to Try Juveniles as Adults
• Allegations of Child & Spousal Abuse

Attorney Consultations & Professional Ethics:

• Critiques of Psychiatric & Psychological Testimony, Reports & Ethics
• Forensic Evaluations & Testimony in Compliance with APA Code of Ethics & Forensic Guidelines

View Dr. Skoler's Consulting Profile.

Marcel O. Ponton, PhD, has over 25 years of experience in the field of Psychology. He specializes in the Neuropsychological Assessment and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury patients and patients with Psychological Trauma.

Dr. Ponton continues to treat brain injury and trauma survivors in his private practice. He has extensive expertise in the assessment of Spanish-speaking patients. He is a published author, Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA, and Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Counseling at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Litigation Support - Over the past 22 years he has served as an expert witness, Dr. Ponton has executed hundreds of evaluations and been retained for his expertise over 300 times. He has testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator over 40 times. Dr. Ponton's services include neuropsychological assessments, psychological assessments, report writing, medical records review, consulting, and assessment of children and adults.

Areas of Expertise:

Forensic Neuropsychology Traumatic Brain Injury Brain Injury Rehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury Trauma Malingering Personal Injury

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Psychology Dementia Sanity / Trial Competency Sexual Harassment Sexual Discrimination Handedness