A 730 evaluation is designed to assist the parties and the court in making a determination of children custody arrangements that is in the children’s best interests.
Once a 730 evaluator is selected, a lengthy and time consuming process will begin. Although some evaluators spend more time on their evaluations than others, a 730 evaluation usually entails a very thorough lengthy process.
The parents will complete a parenting and custody questionnaire including background information about the parenting of the children, their caretaking, the previous living situation and the current living situation.
The parents are commonly asked to complete a timeline of the relationship with the other parent from the time they met to present. The timeline is to include dates of any thing that happened that have become allegations against or by you.
Both parents will be asked to prepare a proposed timeshare schedule of what they would like the custody and visitation arrangement to be.
Both parents will define issues that they believe the evaluator should investigate and assess during the evaluation. This gives the evaluator direction as to the concerns and problem areas that are most important.
If child abuse or neglect is involved, the parties will need to include any and all child abuse reports and police reports involving all members of the family.
After each party completes the forms and questionnaires for the evaluator, the evaluator will allow each parent to review the other parent’s questionnaires and documentation and allow time to provide responses to their statements.
After all questionnaires and documents are provided to the evaluator, the evaluator will typically interview each parent, stepparents, significant others, and observation of each parent with each child. The evaluator will also do a home interview at each of the parent’s home with the children present. Some evaluator will ask the parents to perform a task together or to discuss a certain topic with the child so they can examine how the parent and child interact with each other. Sometimes the evaluator will interview other involved parties such as the parties’ parents when they live with their parents (the children’s grandparents) or doctors that may be involved.
The evaluator will conduct psychological testing on all adults involved in the evaluation. Some of the psychological testing includes a mental status checklist for parents and children, a personal history checklist for the parents, a developmental history checklist for children, and a psychological and social history questionnaire.
Both parents will also be able to present any supporting documentation they may have that supports their claims or allegations that they would like the evaluator to consider.
After the evaluation is complete the evaluator will put together a very detailed report including the results of all psychological testing, their assessment, the evaluations and interviews conducted, and made recommendations to the court as to what is in the child’s best interest.
A skilled Southern California family law attorney at Wallin & Klarich can help you through the 730 evaluation process. Contact our Southern California family law firm today by calling 888-749-7428 or visit us on our website at www.wkfamilylaw.com. We will be there when you call.
