Services
Criminal Forensic Evaluations
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Dr. Bruce provides psychological evaluations for criminal matters.
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He is a recognized State and Federal forensic expert in cases including court ordered assessments, including Juvenile Court, State Court, Superior Court, and Federal Court.
Dr. Bruce has served as an expert witness and consultant on over 220 forensic criminal and civil cases, including:
Capital murder, first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault, wrongful imprisonment, kidnapping, civil rights violations, wrongful death, robbery, sex crimes, child abuse, federal weapons charges, federal immigration charges, motor vehicle accidents, competency evaluations, industrial accidents, boating accidents, child custody.
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​Dr. Bruce provides a variety of forensic services including assessment, reports, and testimony in variety of criminal cases.
Forensic assessment includes examination of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as part of a formal mental health defense. Offered testimony in court resulting in not guilty and diminished capacity verdicts.
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Clinical populations evaluated in forensic cases include PTSD in veterans and non-military populations, anxiety and mood disorders, sexual harassment, suicide, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, pedophilia, personality disorders, dissociative disorders, alcohol and substance use disorders, developmental disorders.
Dr. Bruce provides a wide array of forensic services including but not limited to the following topics:
1. Psychological assessment of competency to stand trial.
2. Assessment of criminal responsibility.
3. Psychological evaluations related to civil commitment and civil rights violations.
4. Mitigation.
5. Consultation with defense and plaintiff legal teams regarding trauma, PTSD, sexual harassment, and other psychological diagnoses.
6. Comprehensive psychological assessment of mental disorders.
7. Testimony during both trial and sentencing phases of litigation.
Educational Testimony
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​Dr. Bruce provides educational testimony based on scientific literature and most often is offered in prosecutions of crimes involving interpersonal violence to debunk myths and misinformation surrounding an individuals reactions to abuse and trauma.
Dr. Bruce's testimony also discusses the neurobiology of trauma and brain changes that can occur as a result of exposure to traumatic events.
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For both criminal and civil cases, Dr. Bruce provides educational testimony regarding individual responses to interpersonal trauma, including delayed reporting to law enforcement, fight/flight/freeze responses, impact of emotional and physical abuse on decision-making processes.
Civil Cases
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For civil cases, Dr. Bruce has worked on a variety of trauma-focused cases, equally for plaintiff and defense legal teams. These include:
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD);
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Impact of sexual assault;
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Cases against private and governmental institutions (e.g., psychiatric hospitals, VA settings, etc.) in contexts in which institutions failed to implement standard of care
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Co-occurring PTSD and traumatic brain injury;
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Malingering;​
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In these cases, Dr. Bruce evaluated plaintiffs claiming emotional injury. He has also evaluated defense claims in these types of personal injury litigation.
Apart from civil personal injury claims for interpersonal violence, Dr. Bruce has also worked on civil claims for damages arising out of accidents for both the plaintiff and defense.