Explanation of Custody Evaluation

Procedures for Parents and Attorneys

Case name: V.

The Uniform Child Custody Evaluation System (UCCES) is designed to provide the court with important information about you, the other parent, and your child(ren) so that the court can make the decision about what is best for your child(ren). The evaluation will consist of the following steps:

Interviews of each parent alone.
Interviews of each child alone.
Interviews of each parent with the child(ren).
Review of the school, medical, and mental health records of the child(ren).
Review of court documents including pleadings, depositions, and answers to interrogatories, as well as any other available records

The evaluation may also include:

Interviews with teachers, friends, neighbors, therapists, or others.
Psychological testing of both parents and child(ren).
Home visit or observation of both parents' homes

The UCCES is designed to give both parents equal opportunity to be considered for custody, and to assess whether joint custody is workable (if that is legally possible in your case).

At the conclusion of the evaluation, your attorney, the other parent's attorney, and the court will receive a copy of our written report. We will not provide either parent (or their attorneys) with preliminary opinions before the report is submitted to the court.

If you have any questions about the evaluation process, please complete the feedback form and you will be contacted within 24 hours

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