Parenting Evaluation FAQ

[mgmills123]

I've got a PE scheduled in two months. I've read the pages on this website about PE's and am so glad I found it. I am looking for other resources that will help me prepare for the meetings with the counselor. Does anyone have any advice or experiences with a PE?

Thanks,

mgmills123

[mistoffolees]

This is going to be VERY dependent on both your location and the particular evaluator you get.Not only are the rules different in each district, but each evaluator has their own quirks (for example, mine refuses to listen to recorded phone conversations even though they're legal evidence and other evaluators will do so).  I would suggest talking with someone local about the evaluator you got.

For what it's worth (and, as I indicated above, it may not be worth much), my evaluation in OK was fairly straightforward (cost of $2,500). I met with evaluator for about 6 hours. He interviewed me and administered a couple of psychological tests. My ex then met with him for the same thing at a later date. Then I brought my daughter in to meet with him for an hour or two, then my ex brought my daughter in to meet with him separately. There was no in-home visit. The background was that we had initially agreed to 50:50 custody, but my ex decided to ask the court for custody when I refused to turn over 90% of my income to her for an indefinite period. I would imagine that with different allegations (sexual abuse, neglect, etc), the evaluation might have been different.

After the 4 meetings and reviewing the psych testing, evaluator wrote about a 7 page report to the court indicating strengths and weaknesses of both parents along with his recommendation (in this case, 50:50 parenting). Evaluator indicated that he would NOT agree to testify in court, other than (in the rare event that a judge would not accept the written report) to testify that he had conducted an evaluation and that was his recommendation. He refused to take sides and honestly attempted to make the child's best interest his only priority.