Is a custody study necessary?

I hope there is a better way for most families than having a professional make multiple visits to your home, interview your children, and scrutinize every aspect of your lives. A good custody evaluator is going to tell you what one of you already knows. A therapist or a trusted friend can sometimes help you avoid a custody study by helping you see what you should already know. Why spend $6,000 or more to try to avoid the inevitable? If you are on the short end of the sole custody stick, you will probably have less parenting time awarded by a judge than you could have negotiated with your ex. If you are not a danger to your children, it’s probably best for you to be with them as much as it’s practical, and you’ll have a better chance of doing that in a private or mediated negotiation.