A custody evaluation can be a challenge for both parents, but it is important to make sure that you are able to get a fair evaluaion that is in your child’s best interests. Unfortunately, children of divorced parents are twice as likely to drop out of high school and they are also less likely to attend college. Interestingly enough, as many as one million people have parents who separate or divorce each year in the U.S. And while custody evaluations are meant to determine what will be the best for the child, the reality is that even adults continue to suffer the consequences of their parents’ divorces for years.
Finding a team of experienced child custody attorneys can help you navigate a situation that could otherwise be a real challenge. In fact, knowing what questions to ask an attorney about divorce and child custody can be a challenge in itself, so it is important to do some research before you agree to work with someone.
Divorce is a part of the fabric of this country, as more and more marriages fail. The latest research, for instance, shows the following:
- The divorce rate for a first marriage in America is 41%.
- The divorce rate for a second marriage in America is 60%.
- The divorce rate for a third marriage in America is 73%.
- One year is the average length of divorce proceedings in the U.S.
- 29 is the mean age of a woman for a first divorce in America.
- 30.5 is the mean age of a man for a first divorce in America.
- First marriages that end in divorce last approximately eight years.
- Having a higher education, and earning more money, marriages are more likely to last longer when people marry at an older age.
Whenever a child is involved in a divorce proceeding their are many challenges. Finding the best arrangement for the custody is often a major obstacle. As a result, there is often a custody evaluation that takes place. With the attorneys for both sides and a mediator, the court attempts to make a decision that will be in the best interest of the youngest children. Older children, on the other hand, often have some say in the matter.
