3 Tips To Help You Get Through A Custody Battle Evaluation

Are you in a situation during your divorce where your spouse is requesting a custody evaluation? This is when someone from the family court will come to your home and make sure that your children have a good living situation. Here are some tips that will help ensure that things go smoothly. 

Be Prepared For A No-Home-Notice Inspection

It is very likely that you will be given a heads-up on an inspection of your home for a custody battle evaluation. However, be prepared for a potential no-notice inspection. This means having your house in order so that it is clean and ready to be seen. It doesn't need to be spotless, but it should be presentable for a potential inspection at any time.

Makes Sure The Children Have Their Own Bedrooms If Possible

One thing that an evaluator is going to look at is if each child has their own bedroom. While this may not be possible in certain situations, it's important that you try to ensure that each kid has their own bedroom. It can be acceptable for two kids of the same gender to share a bedroom, but if you have a boy and a girl, you'll want each to have their own bedroom.

Thankfully, a custody evaluator is going to understand that at the start of the divorce process you may not have the finances ready for the ideal living situation. If you have a two-bedroom home, this may mean giving up your bedroom to the children so that they can have the space they need. You can also show that you have plans to move to a bigger home or apartment so everyone has their own bedroom.

Get Ready For A One-On-One Interview

You are going to have to sit down with an evaluator for a one-on-one interview. This is really an opportunity for the evaluator to get to know you and what kind of person you are. Your spouse may or may not have to go through the same type of interview, but know that it's possible that just the parent that has custody of the children may be interviewed. 

The evaluator is also going to sit down with each kid in a one-on-one interview and talk to them privately. Know that kids are very honest, so there is nothing that you can really do to prepare them. Just let your kids know that it is okay to talk to the evaluator about anything that they ask. Reach out to a family law attorney like one at Ward & Myers LLP for more information about the child custody process. 

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