Ninety percent of parents can agree to child custody without the court. However, not every mom or dad is that lucky.

Child custody proceedings can bring out bad sides in those involved. Participants might drop their usual decorum. Sometimes, they suffer from anxiety, or depression, or both, throughout the trials.

In the direst of situations, the court (or litigants) might request a psychological evaluation for child custody for the parents involved. Here’s how to request one or how to be prepared if someone has asked for you to have a check-up in the Bartlett area.

How to Request a Psychological Evaluation in Bartlett

If you’re nervous about your co-parent’s state of mind, you may want to request a psychological evaluation to make sure they’re okay and able to care for your child.

You can ask your mediator to request a psychological evaluation, or you can petition the judge to do so. The latter official may also request one of their own accords, based on what they see happening in proceedings.

As we said before, you can request a psychological evaluation for a number of reasons. You may believe that your co-parent is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or you may know they struggle with mental illness. Perhaps they have criminal charges on their record, or allegations of child abuse are floating around.

In those cases, you are well within your rights to request a psychological evaluation. It’s ultimately down to the judge to grant or deny such testing.

What Happens Next?

Now that you have requested a psychological evaluation, or now that you have been called to take one yourself, you will want to know what’s next.

An evaluator will assess the subject(s) on behalf of the court. Of course, this person will be a neutral third party, simply hoping to assure that a mother or father is psychologically fit to parent.

Once they have made a decision, they will share it with both sides of the bench. The judge will learn the results as well, and they will use the information to make their final decision on custody.

Of course, the judge’s utmost concern is the child’s safety. The psychological testing can ensure that a man or woman is fit to care for their son or daughter, as they won’t be putting anyone in danger by having custody.

However, even negative results won’t always remove a parent’s custody. For example, a parent with anxiety won’t be barred time with their child. The court may require them to seek therapy or take their prescribed medication in order to ensure they are caring for their child with a clear head.

Prepare for a Psychological Evaluation in Bartlett

Psychological evaluations are sometimes part of a child custody hearing. In the end, they provide judges with clarity and ensure that the child is placed in a situation in which they’re happy and safe. In that way, it’s a very valuable resource to the court.

If you need any kind of counseling to prepare for an evaluation in the Bartlett area, we’re here to help. Click here to contact us and learn more about our specialty in counseling services.