Stephen M. Raffle, M.D.
Telephone: 415.461-4845

Diplomate in Psychiatry,
Diplomate in Forensic Psychiatry,
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Dr. Raffle has presented his expert medical opinion in approximately 5,000 legal cases during a 35-year career as a Forensic Psychiatrist. Concurrently, he has developed a highly respected clinical psychiatric practice, and taught at UCSF Medical School. Further, at Hastings School of Law, Dr. Raffle has taught on the direct and cross-examination of witnesses.

After completing medical school and psychiatric residency, Dr. Raffle audited classes at Boalt Hall, the University of California School of Law (Berkeley), where he began to pursue a lifetime interest in forensic medicine. Dr. Raffle has consulted for attorneys, insurers, employers, and judges about issues involving disability, emotional distress, risk, and threat of violence (at the workplace or in society). Disputes involving estates have benefited from Dr. Raffle's evaluations and testimony regarding testamentary capacity and the effects of undue influence. He has experience with cases with issues of insanity and diminished capacity, the need for treatment, questions of addiction, competency, and malpractice. Further, in court, Dr. Raffle has qualified as a Psychiatric Expert in the areas of Forensic Psychiatry concerned with personal injury, toxic torts, product liability, breach of contract, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault (adults and children), intentional infliction of emotional distress, testamentary capacity, undue influence, ADA, harassment and discrimination, wrongful termination, workers' compensation, temporary and permanent disability, and psychiatric aspects of criminal law.

Dr. Raffle's best estimate is that he has testified more than 150 times and been deposed more than 500 times.

In addition to treating patients in his active clinical practice, Dr. Raffle has been a member of the clinical faculty at UCSF Medical School, where he was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery (as a Psychiatrist), about psychiatric aspects of chronic pain and disability, psychosomatic medicine, physical illness caused by stress, malingering of illness, the role of the psychiatrist in the litigation process, medical ethics, and supervised residents about on-going therapy cases they were treating. Dr. Raffle taught at Hastings Law School for 11 years in its post-graduate course on Trial and Appellate Advocacy, addressing the direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses.

Medical Licenses

1969 to Present
State of California
1989 to 2006
State of Alaska

Education

1958-59
University of Chicago
1959-62
University of California, Berkeley, California A. B. Physiology
1962-66
The Chicago Medical School, Chicago, Illinois Doctor of Medicine
1966-67
Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Illinois Medical Internship
1967-68
University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio 1st year Psychiatric Residency
1968-69
Letterman General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 2nd year Residency
1970-71
Herrick Hospital, Berkeley, California 3rd year Psychiatric Residency
1971-72
Herrick Hospital, Berkeley, California 4th year Psychiatric Residency
1971-72
University of California, Berkeley, California Boalt Hall, School of Law Full time auditor
1977
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Diplomate in Psychiatry
1994
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Diplomate in Forensic Psychiatry
2006
State of California, Department of Industrial Relations Division of Workers' Compensation Medical Unit Qualified Medical Examiner

Academic Positions

1972-83
Herrick Hospital Psychiatric Residency Instructor, Training Program
1974-80
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine Instructor, Psychiatry
1980 to 2001
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine Assistant Clinical Professor, Psychiatry
1983 to 2001
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine Assistant Clinical Professor, Orthopedic Surgery
1985 to 2000
Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy Hastings College of Law Faculty

Consulting Positions

1970-71
Headquarters 5th United States Army: Psychiatric consultant to the Surgeon of the 5th United States Army
Psychiatric Liaison to Judge Advocate General, 5th United States Army
Examiner for prospective West Point Cadets
Acting Chief, Office of Physical Standards

1971-74
Herrick Hospital, Berkeley, California
Psychiatric consultant - Neurological Rehabilitation Unit

1972 to Present
Consultant on case-by-case basis to various Workers' Compensation insurance
companies, defense firms and applicant's firms.

1976-80
Alameda County Personnel Department
Includes second opinions for Sheriff's Department

1978-87
Administrative Law Judges of Social Security Administration

1979 to Present
U. S. Dept of Labor, Independent Medical Examiner, Longshoreman's and Harbor Act

1979 to 1993
Independent Medical Examiner, State of California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board

1993 to Present
Qualified Medical Examiner, State of California Department of Industrial Relations

1993 to Present
Senior consultant, Work Trauma Services, San Francisco

1994 to Present
Senior consultant, United States Postal Service Threat Assessment Team

Consultant to
Public Defenders: Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Mendocino,
San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Solano, California; Anchorage and Palmer, Alaska

District Attorneys: Counties of Del Norte, Mendocino, Amador, Yolo, California;
Anchorage, Alaska United States Attorney in California and Alaska

U.S. Department of Justice

Professional Organizations

1972-75
American Medical Association (voluntary withdrawal)
1989 to Present
American Medical Association
1972-75
California Medical Association (voluntary withdrawal)
1989 to Present
California Medical Association
1972 to Present
American Psychiatric Association and Northern California Psychiatric Society
1984 to Present
American Academy Psychiatry and Law
1994 to Present
California Academy of Medicine
1998 to Present
Fellow, Royal College of Medicine (Member, forensic psychiatry committee)

Professional Committees

1973 to 1990
Chairman, Committee on Informed Consent. In 1978, this committee merged into Committee on Psychiatry and Law
1976-87
Task Force about the Role of the Psychiatrist in the criminal law process, Northern California Psychiatric Society
1983-86
Education Committee, Northern California Psychiatric Society
1991 to 1995
Medical Staff Assistance Committee, Impaired Physician Committee, Samuel Merritt Hospital
1994-95
Medical Board of California, Board of Podiatric Medicine, Podiatry Diversion Evaluation Committee

Hospital Affilitations

1972-77
Herrick Hospital and Alta Bates Hospital, Berkeley, California
1977 to 2002
Summit Medical Center, Oakland, California; previously Merritt Hospital and Providence Hospital
2002 to Present
Staff Privileges, Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital, Kentfield, CA

Presentations

1973
CEB, California. "Psychiatry and Criminal Law"
1976
American Society of Criminology, Tucson, Arizona "The Psychiatrist in the Courtroom"
1984
Northern California Psychiatric Society: "Psychopathology and Physiology of Pain"
1985
University of California, San Francisco Medical School: Intensive Residency for
Occupational Medicine. "Stress and Cardiovascular Disease"
1985
California Applicant Attorney's Association: "Psychiatry and Workers'
Compensation Law" (a twelve hour course presented by me over four days)
1989
U.S. Postal Services: "Crisis Management for Psychiatric Emergencies"
1990
U.S. Postal Services: "Crisis Management for Psychiatric Emergencies"
1990
Alaska Psychiatric Institute, Anchorage, Alaska: "Psychiatric Malpractice --
A Review of Treatment Risks, Opportunities and the Law"
1990
Merritt-Peralta Medical Center, Oakland, CA: "Assessment of Chronic Pain"
1991
Merritt-Peralta Medical Center, Oakland, CA: "Treatment of Chronic Pain"
1992
American Bar Association, Division for Professional Education: Consultant and Psychiatric Presenter:
"Trial of a Sexual Harassment Case: From Voir Dire to Jury Decision"
1992
American Bar Association, National Meeting: "Sexual Discrimination in the Workplace"
1994
American Bar Association: "Sexual Harassment"
1995
Institute for International Research, Controlling Disability Payments
in the Public Pension Plan: "Permanent and Stationary is not Forever"
1996
Management Circle, The Public Pension Fund Forum for New Trustees Conference:
"Chronic Pain Syndrome: An Interdisciplinary Approach"