Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

The Matrimonial StrategistFeaturesKickerLJN NewslettersNewsSections

Analyzing Child Custody Reports

By Jeffrey P. Wittmann, David A. Martindale and Timothy M. Tippins
August 02, 2014

This is the third installment of a four-part series offering a model for attorneys to use when faced with the task of analyzing a custody assessment. Trial preparation requires that a thorough dissection of the forensic work-product be done to determine how to counsel the parent-litigant about the next step in his or her case. A small body of literature has developed that suggests some of the areas most important to consider when analyzing a child custody report, including articles by Austin, Kirkpatrick, & Flens, (2011, Family Court Review), and by Gould, Kirkpatrick, Austin, & Martindale (2004, J Child Custody.

More recently, the Custody Assessment Analysis System, or CAAS, provided a comprehensive system for the pre-trial analysis of CCEs by attorneys (Wittmann, 2013, MatLaw Corp.). The inspection of an evaluator's report, focusing on the factors outlined below, produces a “red-flag” analysis; that is, a catalog of threats to reliability that compromise the usefulness of a particular evaluation. The ways in which an assessment may be sturdy and unlikely to yield under attack can also be determined through attention to the assets or strengths of a particular child custody evaluation (CCE).

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • 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

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners Image

Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.