Home All Services — Legal & Litigation — Medical & Health — Business & Finance — Real Estate — Insurance — Technology & IP — Academic Mentorship — Family & Social
For Attorneys How It Works About Contact
Join as Evaluator Book a Free Consultation →
Family & Social Services

A Custody Evaluation
Determines Where
a Child Lives.

These evaluations carry more weight than almost any other expert opinion in family court. A rushed process, an unqualified evaluator, or a report that reflects bias rather than professional judgment can damage the case — and harm people who are already in a difficult situation. We place licensed psychologists and clinical social workers with family court experience, matched to your jurisdiction and case type.

Licensed
Psychologists & LCSWs Only
$2,500
Starting From*
Court
Experience Required
50
States Served
What's at Stake

The evaluator's qualifications
and process matter as much
as the conclusions.

Family court judges rely heavily on psychological evaluations — for custody arrangements, parental fitness, guardianship, and child welfare decisions. A poor evaluation doesn't just lose a motion. It influences outcomes that affect real people for years.

01

An unqualified or rushed evaluator produces a report the court discounts — or worse, relies on incorrectly.

Family court judges see the full range of evaluation quality. Evaluators without family court experience, without the appropriate license tier, or who conducted a perfunctory review get challenged — and those challenges echo through the case.

02

Bias in the evaluation — perceived or real — becomes the entire story at hearing.

If an evaluator appears to favor one parent based on limited contact with the other, or if the methodology appears asymmetric, opposing counsel will argue the evaluation rather than engage with the findings. The evaluator's process must be defensible, not just the conclusion.

03

Delays in scheduling hold up proceedings and create pressure to accept an available evaluator — not the right one.

Families and attorneys often default to whoever is available, not who is best matched to the case. We pre-qualify evaluators for each jurisdiction's requirements and maintain availability in all 50 states so your timeline drives selection, not scarcity.

Evaluation Types

Each situation requires its own evaluation framework.

We match based on what the court needs to resolve — not a generic "family evaluation" catch-all.

Child Custody Evaluations

Comprehensive psychological evaluation of both parents and the child to assess parenting capacity, child wellbeing, and the nature of family relationships. Includes interviews, observations, psychological testing, and collateral contacts. Court-formatted report with custody and visitation recommendations.

Starting from $2,500*

Parental Fitness Evaluations

Assessment of a parent's psychological fitness, parenting capacity, and ability to provide a safe, stable environment — used in contested custody cases, parental rights proceedings, and dependency court matters.

Starting from $2,500*

Guardianship Assessments

Evaluation of proposed guardians for minor children or vulnerable adults — assessing fitness, home environment, and capacity to meet the ward's physical and psychological needs. Used in probate and family court guardianship proceedings.

Starting from $2,500*

Psychological Expert Testimony

Licensed psychologists available to testify on the evaluation findings, parenting capacity, child development, attachment, trauma, and the psychological impact of custody arrangements — for contested hearings or trial.

Starting from $3,000*

* Starting estimates. Complex multi-session evaluations or those requiring extensive collateral contacts are scoped and quoted separately. Fees confirmed before engagement.

Why Evaluator Quality Matters

Credentials and process are not just formalities.
They determine whether the report holds up.

Family courts give psychological evaluations significant weight — but that weight cuts both ways. An evaluator who followed appropriate protocols, tested both parents equivalently, and documented findings with clinical rigor produces a report that moves the case forward. One who didn't gives opposing counsel a roadmap for attack.

We require family court experience before placing any evaluator. We verify licensure for each jurisdiction. And we match the evaluator's specialty to the specific issues in the case.

Licensed psychologists (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) or licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) — no exceptions
Prior family court testimony experience verified before placement
License verified in the jurisdiction where the evaluation will be conducted
Conflict check run against parties before any introduction

What every evaluation includes.

We don't place evaluators who conduct abbreviated assessments. Every engagement meets clinical and court standards.

Individual interviews with each parent — separate and equivalent time
Direct observation of each parent with the child
Standardized psychological testing where clinically indicated
Review of relevant records — medical, educational, prior court orders
Collateral contacts (school, therapists, references)
Written report with findings, analysis, and recommendations
Testimony available for contested hearings
Request an Evaluator
Common Questions

What attorneys and families ask before engaging a family evaluator.

Family law attorneys, guardians ad litem, courts (for court-appointed evaluations), and individual parties can all request a family evaluation through us. We coordinate with your attorney on the process, protocols, and how the report will be used in the proceeding.
Before any evaluator is introduced to your case, we run conflict checks against all parties and their counsel. If there is any prior relationship — personal or professional — with either party, that evaluator is not introduced. This is non-negotiable.
We place licensed psychologists (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) for psychological evaluations and licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) for home and parenting assessments. License is verified in the jurisdiction where the evaluation will occur. Unlicensed clinicians, interns, or supervised associates are not placed for family court cases.
A comprehensive custody evaluation typically takes 6–12 weeks from scheduling through report delivery, depending on the complexity of the case, the availability of both parties, and the volume of records to review. We provide a projected timeline before confirming the engagement.
Yes. Testimony is available for all evaluators we place. Deposition and trial testimony fees are quoted separately and confirmed before scheduling. We coordinate availability with your hearing calendar.

The evaluation matters.
So does who conducts it.

Tell us the case type, the jurisdiction, and what the court has ordered or what you're seeking. We'll identify the right licensed evaluator and confirm credentials before any introduction.