In cases where divorced or divorcing parents do not agree on a parenting plan , child custody experts are often asked to provide an evaluation to the court. The expert examines both parents and the child or children as well as collateral sources for information about the family and family interactions. The evaluator gathers data and then draws inferences from their data which they then provide to the court.
Â
The custody evaluator attempts to gain a detailed picture of the family and form opinions regarding the best interests of the children. The expert makes recommendations to the court based upon their opinions. That is why it is so important for the evaluator to get a true picture of the particular family and its members and other factors as well as an understanding of what issues can not be addressed in a report. Every family is unique. Some families are complicated while others are more open. In either case, the evaluators report
If you are involved in a custody case in w...