

The child custody evaluation is not confidential and may be seen by both parties’ attorneys, as well as by the court should the case go to trial. Home visits are an option and are found to be especially helpful to families with young children that are under the age of 6.
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Contact with other professional parties like teachers, counselors, and doctors may also be made. The evaluator will also take the time to review all of the court proceedings, as well as any prior legal issues. Parenting style will be evaluated and parent/child interactions will be observed. The evaluator may request or complete psychological testing to determine the mental and emotional states of the parents and the children. All evaluations will include at least two (possibly more) interviews with both parents and each child. What does the custody evaluation entail?Įach custody evaluation may vary based on the case and the evaluator’s process. Be thorough about who you choose as the evaluator. Your custody evaluation will be very significant and will have a substantial impact on the outcome of your case. Be sure to speak with your attorney about these options and don’t jump straight to the cheapest evaluator.
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This person will be interviewing your children and you want to ensure that their discussion with this individual will be a beneficial experience for them.Ĭustody evaluations are not typically free and can vary in cost. You should always take an active role in the situation and be sure to ask the evaluator about their experience and specialization. For example, there are custody evaluators trained to manage domestic violence or substance abuse matters. The evaluator is often recommended by the court or your attorney based on the specific details of your case. The custody evaluator is typically a trained mental health professional, most commonly a psychologist. If a judge uses the custody evaluation to help him/her identify a plan and custody order, he/she will also collect testimony from all interested parties. A custody evaluation is typically used in one of two ways it either serves as a guide to aid parents in coming to a custody agreement or it is a reference used by the court to order an arrangement for the family. What is a custody evaluation?Ī custody evaluation is an assessment completed by a professional who will look at all of the family dynamics and make recommendations as to a custody arrangement that will serve in the best interest of the children. When parents are unable to agree on the custody arrangement and visitation plan after other efforts are exhausted, an outside custody evaluation can be arranged. Unfortunately, the ideal situation is rather challenging to come by and so other efforts like mediation or settlement are made to help parents come to an agreement about custody of the children. The ideal situation is one where both parents can communicate and agree on the custody arrangements. In divorce cases that involve children, custody evaluations are frequent occurrences.
