Challenging the 730 Child Custody Report

If either party is unhappy with the 730 child custody evaluation report and its recommendations, they may depose the evaluator, and/or put him or her on the witness stand. Many times, they might seek the help of another experienced mental health professional. That person will become engaged in a critical review of the evaluation process, the methods used, the conclusions drawn from the data and the validity of the recommendations. In this case, the attorney can hire anyone he or she deems suitable.

In the typical scenario, this process will only involve review of the report. But in some cases, the professional may elect to do additional interviewing, and testing in order to bolster their testimony. In many cases, this professional will be put on the stand to present their challenges and opinions. Of course, they will also be cross-examined.

The desirability of a custody evaluation in your particular case will depend on the issues in dispute, the strategy of your attorney, the anticipated costs and benefits and additional factors. If interested in a custody evaluation, you should discuss it with your attorney.

In this article I have described the context in which custody evaluations are conducted. In additional articles, I will discuss the legal and psychological concept of "the best interest of the child," as well as the custody evaluation process itself.

Child Custody