Child Custody Evaluation

What is Child Custody Evaluation? It helps decide who gets custody of your child or children. When Mediation or Early Neutral Evaluation fails, a judge may order a Custody Evaluation. A Custody Evaluation may be full or complete, involving interviews with each parent, observations of each home and how each parent interacts with the child. Chemical Dependency testing or evaluations may be utilized and the custody evaluator may ask a parent or both parents to undergo a psychological evaluation.

The custody evaluator may also examine police and criminal records and talk to neighbors, friends, day cares or school teachers.

A custody evaluation may be full or it may be focused i.e. dealing only with the issue or issues in dispute rather than all parenting issues.

As a result, a custody evaluation takes many hours and may vary widely in cost, ranging from $2-15,000 dollars or more depending on the evaluator’s experience, thoroughness, issues studied and the complexity of the issues. When a custody decision is rendered, a custody evaluator is often subpoenaed at additional cost by one the other parent in the ensuing trial.

Glen Bickford has training in Child Custody Evaluation as a full or focused custody evaluator  through Solomon’s Surrogates, the training required by several MN judicial districts. More information about Solomon’s Surrogates can be found at Hamline Mediation Center here. Glen may work by a flat fee per evaluation or at an hourly rate. Court preparation and appearances are additional.