On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Wednesday, October 30, 2013.
Divorce proceedings can be complicated and divisive, particularly when it comes to custodial and financial issues. While some separating couples are able to agree on most matters, not every divorce proceeds this smoothly. Experts are therefore often used to help resolve certain conflicts. These professionals can be court-ordered or privately retained, and their opinions are often afforded considerable weight by a judge.
Child custody and visitation is often a contentious issue, and a psychological expert can be called upon to make a recommendation after an observation of the child’s interaction with each parent. Such an expert can also be asked to provide counseling to family members during and after a divorce. A vocational expert may be useful in situations invoving child support obligations. The expert may be called upon to analyze the education, skill level and job prospects of an unemployed spouse in order to determine whether such individual will be able to make court-ordered payments.
Other experts can testify with respect to the division of assets in a divorce. A real estate expert can provide an appraisal of a marital home or other real property, which could be important in a property division context if the couple cannot agree upon a valuation. If the couple owns a business, an expert in business valuation may be necessary to determine whether a portion of that business should be deemed separately-owned property.
Professional experts often work closely with attorneys to help resolve a variety of issues that may arise during divorce proceedings. An attorney with experience in family law matters may be able to recommend the use of certain experts that may be helpful to a client’s situation.
Source: Huffington Post, “Divorce Confidential: Using Experts In Your Divorce“, Caroline Choi, October 24, 2013