This evaluation has been requested by your attorney, the court, or the Guardian ad Litem who was appointed to represent the interests of your children.

The purpose of this evaluation is to assess and to provide recommendations concerning the best interests of your children. While your wishes and preferences will be carefully considered, please remember that the primary consideration will be the needs of the children.

You will be asked to participate in a series of meetings and interviews with your examiner.  You will be asked to answer a number of questions about yourself, your personal history, your family, your children, the circumstances of the child custody dispute and other matters.  In addition, you will be asked, when appropriate, to complete certain questionnaires and psychological testing instruments.  It is important that you answer the questions asked of you honestly and openly.  However, you do retain the right to refuse to answer any questions asked of you and to refuse to complete any part of the questionnaires and instruments.  Your children may also be interviewed and may be asked to complete certain questionnaires and psychological testing instruments (your child also retain the right to refuse to answer any questions asked of them and to refuse to complete any questionnaires or instruments that may be presented to them).  Please remember that any information you disclose will be made a part of your record at the Pauquette Center and may be included in reports to attorneys and the court.

 If you are receiving a psychological evaluation, you can expect to meet with the examining psychologist on at least four occasions. The procedures employed in the psychological evaluation include personal interviews, individually administered psychological tests, and observations of you interacting with your children.

If you are receiving a child custody home study, you can expect to meet with your examiner on at least three occasions.  These meetings may be conducted at your home.  Very likely, your children will also be interviewed.  In addition, your examiner will ask you to authorize release of information from a variety of sources including previous psychotherapists and psychological counselors, health professionals, law enforcement agencies, the Department of Transportation, friends, acquaintances, members of your extended family and personal references.  Please remember that you have the right to refuse to authorize release of information from these sources.

If information is disclosed that indicates that child neglect or abuse has occurred, this information will be reported to appropriate authorities as required by law.

Once the evaluation is completed, a report will be written that will summarize the information that was made available to the examiner.  This report will include recommendations concerning custody and visitation and, when appropriation, other pertinent matters.  Typically, this report, with your written permission, will be made available directly to the Guardian ad Litem (if appointed), the court and the attorneys.  You will be asked to authorize release of information to these parties before the evaluation is begun.

Because these procedures are extensive, the evaluations can be very costly.  Health insurance may, but typically does not, cover the expenses of certain portions of the evaluation procedure.  Before the evaluations are begun, you will be given an estimate of the expected costs but please remember that these estimates are only estimates and the actual costs may be greater than the initial estimates.  The actual fees for services will vary from individual based on the procedures employed and these procedures may vary from case to case depending on the specific aspects of the case.

You will be expected to pre-pay 50% of the estimated cost of the evaluation before the evaluation is begun.  You will be expected to pay the remaining accrued cost before the summary reports of the evaluation are completed or released to any party or before any conclusions or recommendations are shared with any party.  Additional costs may accrue after the evaluation is completed if, for example, depositions or court testimony is required. The costs for these additional services will be estimated before the services are provided and you will be expected to prepay the estimated expense.  You will be billed for other necessary services.

Should you have any questions about these matters, please feel free to discuss them with your examiner.