Child Custody Evaluations: Forensic Mental Health Professionals as Experts or Consultants
Presenting, Analyzing and Deconstructing Custody Evaluation Reports
Recording of a 90-minute CLE webinar with Q&A
This CLE course will prepare family law attorneys to use a mental health consultant in preparing for a child custody case and in rebutting opinions and conclusions in the custody evaluation report. The panel will highlight factors that the court typically wants to know about the custody evaluation report.
Outline
- What the court wants to know about the custody evaluation report
- Ways to use a mental health professional as a consultant or expert
- Issues to address in deconstructing a child custody evaluation report
- Strategies for rebutting the custody evaluation report
Benefits
The panel will review these and other key questions:
- What are the key issues that should be addressed when reviewing a child custody evaluation report?
- What are the focal points that the court wants to know about in child custody evaluation reports?
- How can a mental health professional best be utilized in rebutting a child custody evaluation report?
Following the speaker presentations, you'll have an opportunity to get answers to your specific questions during the interactive Q&A.
Faculty

Honorable Lisa C. Bell
Chief District Court Judge
26th Judicial District of North Carolina
She has presided over hundreds of family court cases since 1998. She serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of... | Read More
She has presided over hundreds of family court cases since 1998. She serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Child Custody; has presented at numerous family law conferences on topics such as “Advanced Issues in Child Custody Evaluations;” and published in the "Juvenile and Family Court Journal".
Close
Jonathan W. Gould, Ph.D., ABPP
Partner
Charlotte Psychotherapy & Consultation Group
He consults across the country on psychological aspects of family law matters including child custody, child... | Read More
He consults across the country on psychological aspects of family law matters including child custody, child alienation, relocation, domestic violence, and child maltreatment. He is a frequent speaker and author on the subject of child custody evaluations. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Professional Psychology specializing in forensic psychological consultation in family law matters.
Close
Kenneth H. Lester
Senior Partner
Law Offices of Lester & Hendrix
His practice focuses on family law. He is a Diplomat in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers and a fellow in... | Read More
His practice focuses on family law. He is a Diplomat in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers and a fellow in the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He served as the Chairman of the Family Law Section of the South Carolina Bar and as Chairman of the Family Law Committee of the South Carolina Association of Justice. He is a published author and speaks nationally at CLE seminars.
Close