Austin Blum, MD, JD

Every forensic case tells a story. My role is to make sense of the complexities within that story by providing clear, evidence-based opinions rooted in advanced forensic training and extensive case experience. As a double Board-Certified psychiatrist in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry, I have been retained as an Expert Witness in civil, criminal, and family law cases. My expertise includes matters involving undue influence, competency, malpractice, and risk assessments. At Napa State Hospital, I treat patients with severe mental illness and conduct forensic assessments. I also serve as an Assistant Professor at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine. I hold medical licenses in California and Illinois.

I earned my M.D. from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and my J.D. from Cornell Law School. My advanced training includes a psychiatry residency at the University of Chicago and a forensic psychiatry fellowship at UC Davis Medical Center.

I am available for consultation, forensic evaluations, and expert testimony.

Areas of Expertise

Additional Expertise:

Antisocial Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Delusions, Factitious Disorder, Impulse Control Disorders, Independent Medical Exams (IME), Insanity Defense, Malingering, Paraphilic Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Psychological Autopsy, Psychopathy, Sexual Harassment, Substance-Induced Disorders, Wrongful Death

Profile

Dr. Blum's exploration of the intersection of law and psychiatry began at Cornell Law School, where he earned his J.D. cum laude and served on the Cornell Law Review. His legal training inspired a deeper understanding of human behavior and its legal implications, which led to him earning his M.D. from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He further specialized through a psychiatry residency at the University of Chicago and a forensic psychiatry fellowship at the University of California, Davis Medical Center.

Currently, Dr. Blum is a psychiatrist at Napa State Hospital and an Assistant Professor at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he teaches forensic psychiatry to second- and fourth-year residents.

Areas Served

All States

Professional Experience

Dr. Blum has testified as an expert witness in civil litigation and criminal cases in California Superior Court in Northern and Southern California.

Licenses

California Medical License (180054)
Illinois Medical License (036158500)

Qualifications

Board Certified in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (Current)

Awards & Honors

Recognized with the Rappeport Fellowship from the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (awarded to six “outstanding residents with interests in psychiatry and the law”); the APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Outstanding Resident Award, Honorable Mention; and others.

Publications

Dr. Blum has authored over 40 publications in reputable medical and psychiatric journals, as well as several book chapters, covering topics such as forensic psychiatry, legal and ethical issues, psychiatric disorders, and neurobiology. A complete list of publications is available upon request. Notable publications include:

1. “Forensic assessment of somatoform and functional neurological disorders” (Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 2024)
2. “Neuroimaging,” in Representing People with Dementia: A Practical Guide for Criminal Defense Lawyers (ABA Book Publishing, 2022)
3. “Legal aspects of problematic Internet usage” (Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 2022)
4. “Ethical Aspects of Enforced Medical Treatment in Patients with Psychiatric Illness” (Psychiatric Annals, 2021)
5. “Uncontrollable Urges to Gamble Following Treatment with Pramipexole (Mirapex).” In Comorbid Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders (Springer, 2019)

Education

Fellowship: Forensic Psychiatry, University of California, Davis Medical Center (2022-2023)
Residency: Psychiatry, University of Chicago Medicine (2018-2022)
Medical School: M.D., The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (2014-2018)
Law School: J.D., cum laude, Cornell Law School (2009-2012)
College: B.A. (History), summa cum laude & Phi Beta Kappa, Cornell University (2005-2009)