In a perfect world, parents who decide to end their marriage are able to come to an agreement on custody and visitation. Unfortunately, it is far more common for parents to disagree on child custody arrangements and a complex court battle often ensues. In these cases, the court will typically order a custody evaluation, also referred to as a social study in Texas family law. The following is a brief overview of this process. If you are divorcing your spouse and anticipate a complex child custody dispute, make sure to contact Powers and Kerr, PLLC for legal assistance.
What Is Involved in a Custody Evaluation?
When parents are unable to present an agreed-upon parenting plan to the court, the judge may order a custody evaluation in order to obtain additional information regarding the background and lifestyle of each parent, their parenting styles, the type of home environment they could provide the child, their employment situation, and relationship status. The evaluations are usually conducted by social workers or some other professional whose background includes working with children and families.
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