Account

Sign in to access your account and subscription

Custody Evaluations and the Illusion of Helpfulness

The opinions of forensic evaluators in child custody cases carry the potential power to change lives by force of law. Too often those opinions are received in evidence without serious examination of whether they are based upon demonstrable knowledge as opposed to subjective beliefs and idiosyncratic value judgments. Intellectually empty proclamations, such as 'the opinion is helpful' or 'I'll take it for what it's worth' usher these potent utterance into evidence in all too many courtrooms. The notion that an opinion that is not demonstrably valid can be helpful and ought to be admitted 'for what it is worth' is as illusory as it is foreign to evidence doctrine.

24 minute read August 31, 2006 at 10:02 AM
By
Timothy M. Tippins
Custody Evaluations and the Illusion of Helpfulness

The opinions of forensic evaluators in child custody cases carry the potential power to change lives by force of law. Too often those opinions are received in evidence without serious examination of whether they are based upon demonstrable knowledge as opposed to subjective beliefs and idiosyncratic value judgments.

This premium content is locked for LawJournalNewsletters subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN LawJournalNewsletters

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

The combination of increasing operating costs and uncertain government reimbursement funding continues to place health care providers under financial pressure, and in many cases, financial distress. Given the importance of Medicare/Medicaid funding of claims under provider agreements with the federal government, how courts interpret and apply the interplay between the Bankruptcy Code and Medicare Program Act determines the disposition of hundreds of millions of dollars of claims for reimbursement that support the health care system.

April 30, 2026

As AI becomes embedded in everyday business and legal operations, organizations are confronting a new expectation: simply disclosing AI use is no longer enough. A critical shift is taking place in the legal industry: transparency is no longer just about disclosure; it’s about comprehension.

April 30, 2026