Forensic Psychiatry

Dr. Christopher Fischer

Christopher Fischer , M.D.

Triple Board-Certified Child, Adult, and Forensic Psychiatrist

Education

Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley

Medical School: University of California, San Diego

Adult Psychiatry Residency: University of California, Los Angeles

Child and Adolescent Fellowship: University of Southern California, Los Angeles

Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship: University of California, Davis

Academic Affiliation

Clinical Assistant Professor, Volunteer Clinical Faculty, University of California, Davis

Dr. Christopher Fischer is a highly skilled, triple board-certified psychiatrist with over a decade of experience in the field of psychiatry. He specializes in evaluating complex mental health cases, including those involving treatment-resistant conditions, and providing expert psychiatric testimony in legal matters. As a Clinical Assistant Professor at UC Davis, Dr. Fischer is also deeply involved in educating the next generation of psychiatrists, further enhancing his knowledge and expertise in the field.

Dr. Fischer has earned a strong reputation as an expert witness, offering comprehensive, objective assessments and clear, articulate testimony in legal proceedings. His expertise spans a wide range of forensic areas, including competency evaluations, criminal responsibility, and personal injury cases. His extensive experience in both the clinical and legal aspects of psychiatry enables him to provide critical insights into complex mental health issues, making him a trusted advisor in high-stakes legal matters.

With a deep understanding of psychiatric diagnoses, treatment options, and the legal standards that apply in various contexts, Dr. Fischer is well-positioned to assist attorneys in navigating the intricacies of mental health law. His evaluations are grounded in evidence-based methodologies, ensuring that his testimony is both reliable and respected by courts.

For legal professionals seeking an expert in forensic psychiatry, Dr. Fischer offers unparalleled expertise in psychiatric evaluations and testimony. Whether handling cases related to criminal law or civil law, Dr. Fischer provides the clarity and depth of analysis necessary to support legal decision-making and case strategy.

Dr. Fischer provides comprehensive forensic psychiatric evaluations for both criminal and civil legal matters, integrating clinical expertise with an evidence-based understanding of law, behavior, and mental illness.
All evaluations are conducted with impartiality, scientific rigor, and attention to ethical and legal standards

Dr. Sofia Peeva

CIVIL CASES

Dr. Fischer can provide civil forensic evaluations in cases involving capacity, undue influence, disability, negligence, and emotional injury, offering clear, objective opinions grounded in psychiatric science.

Capacity, Consent, and Influence

Testamentary Capacity – Determine an individual’s ability to understand and execute a valid will.
Contractual Capacity – Evaluate understanding and voluntariness in entering legal agreements.
Undue Influence – Assess psychological vulnerability and coercive pressures that may compromise free decision-making.
Conservatorships and Guardianships – Evaluate decisional capacity and functional ability for managing personal or financial affairs.
Decisional Capacity in Medical and Financial Matters – Assess understanding, reasoning, and communication abilities required for informed consent or financial independence.

Employment and Disability

Psychiatric Disability Evaluations – Determine presence, severity, and occupational impact of psychiatric conditions.
Fitness for Duty and Return-to-Work Assessments – Evaluate readiness to resume employment safely and effectively.
Wrongful Termination – Analyze psychiatric factors related to emotional distress or hostile work environments.
Negligent Hiring and Supervision – Assess foreseeability, risk factors, and psychiatric aspects of workplace harm.

Negligence and Quality of Care

Psychiatric Negligence and Malpractice – Review psychiatric treatment for adherence to accepted standards of care.
Quality of Care Reviews – Provide independent evaluations of clinical care, supervision, and systems of treatment.
Institutional Liability and Standard of Care – Assess mental health care practices in hospitals, correctional settings, and residential facilities.

Civil and Tort Litigation

Personal Injury Litigation Issues – Evaluate psychiatric sequelae of trauma, accidents, or other injuries.
Emotional Distress and Psychological Injury Claims – Assess causation, severity, and prognosis of psychological harm.
Mass Tort Litigation – Conduct psychiatric evaluations in large-scale exposure or disaster cases.
Pain and Suffering Evaluations – Analyze psychological and emotional impact of injury and loss.
PTSD and Trauma-Related Disorders – Diagnose and contextualize trauma-linked symptoms within civil claims.

Other Specialized Areas

Guardianship Disputes and Elder Exploitation – Evaluate cognitive capacity and vulnerability in contested matters.
Capacity and Undue Influence in Estate Planning – Assess validity and independence in estate or trust-related decisions.
Professional Boundary and Misconduct Cases – Examine psychiatric and behavioral dynamics in ethics or regulatory investigations.
Media, Public Figures, and Psychological Impact – Evaluate mental health consequences of defamation, harassment, or public exposure

CRIMINAL CASES

Dr. Fischer can perform psychiatric evaluations across a broad spectrum of criminal law issues, including criminal responsibility, competency, risk assessment, and mitigation.

Criminal Responsibility and Mental State

Mental Health Diversion Evaluations – Assess whether mental illness contributed to the alleged offense and whether diversion into treatment is appropriate.
Insanity Defense Evaluations – Determine if a defendant met legal criteria for insanity at the time of the offense.
Imperfect Self-Defense – Examine psychiatric factors influencing perception of threat or necessity of force.
Diminished Capacity and Actuality – Evaluate how mental illness, intoxication, or cognitive impairment affected intent or understanding.
Voluntariness of Confessions – Assess whether psychiatric or cognitive impairments compromised voluntariness.
False Confessions – Identify vulnerabilities and coercive factors that may lead to untrue admissions.
Contested Plea Bargains – Evaluate decisional capacity and comprehension in plea negotiations.

Competency and Fitness to Proceed

Competency to Stand Trial, Plead, or Testify – Determine a defendant’s understanding of proceedings and ability to assist counsel.
Restoration of Competency – Evaluate treatment needs and potential for restoration.
Special Populations – Assess competency in individuals with psychosis, intellectual disability, or neurocognitive disorder.

Sentencing and Mitigation

Sentencing Mitigation Evaluations – Identify psychiatric, developmental, or trauma-related factors relevant to mitigation.
Capital Sentencing – Provide comprehensive evaluation in death penalty and life-sentence cases.
Trauma and Neuropsychiatric Factors – Explore the role of PTSD, TBI, or serious mental illness in culpability and behavior.

Violence and Risk Assessment

Violence Risk Assessment – Use structured professional judgment tools to assess future risk of violence.
Workplace Threats and Violence – Evaluate individuals posing threats in occupational or institutional settings.
Intimate Partner Violence – Examine psychological and relational factors in domestic violence.
Homicide and Serial Murder – Analyze psychiatric, personality, and situational elements in lethal violence.
Criminal Threats – Assess intent, capacity, and credibility of alleged threats.
Hate Crimes and Cults – Evaluate group dynamics, ideology, and psychopathology in organized or ideologically motivated crimes.

Special Populations and Conditions

Juvenile Offenders and Waivers to Adult Court – Evaluate maturity, rehabilitation potential, and developmental factors.
Juveniles as Witnesses – Assess competency, reliability, and suggestibility in child witnesses.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Crime – Determine cognitive and behavioral effects of brain injury on culpability.
Substance-Induced Disorders – Distinguish temporary intoxication effects from enduring mental illness.
Sex Offenses – Evaluate sexual behavior, paraphilic disorders, and risk of recidivism.
Elder Abuse and Exploitation – Assess psychiatric dynamics and culpability in cases involving older adults.
White Collar Crime – Explore psychological, cognitive, and motivational factors in deceptive or fraudulent acts.

Malingering and Credibility

Malingering and Feigned Mental Illness – Detect and differentiate intentional exaggeration of symptoms.
Personality Disorders and Criminal Behavior – Assess enduring personality traits and their relevance to culpability.
False Allegations – Evaluate psychological dynamics and credibility in contested accusations.

Neuropsychiatric and Medical-Legal Interfaces

Neurocognitive Disorders and Impulse Control – Assess the influence of dementia or other disorders on behavior and judgment.
Sleep Disorders and Automatism Defenses – Evaluate claims involving unconscious or involuntary behavior.
Psychopharmacology and Behavior – Analyze the effects of psychiatric medications on cognition and impulse control.