What to Do If You’re Appointed a Florida Child Custody Social Investigators

Divorce cases involving children are often time-consuming and the court takes it’s time to ensure that the case is decided in the best interest of a child. Therefore, the court often will appoint a social investigator to look into the child’s living situation and recommend a time-sharing plan on behalf of the court.

According to Florida statute 61.20, a social investigator is a qualified staff of the court, a child-placing agency, a psychologist, a clinical social work, or a marriage and family, therapist. The courts can also appoint an experienced family lawyer for men as a potential court-appointed investigator. Appointing a social investigator will often prevent the child from having to testify in court and will gather the facts as an unbiased party.

Based on the case, a judge will appoint various people. For example, if there is a case involving allegation of mental health or substance abuse issues, the court will likely assign a psychologist or mental health counselor to the case.

If you are not automatically assigned a social investigator, you should speak with your family lawyer for men to discuss if it could be advantageous for your case. In many cases, it can be unwise to seek appointment of an investigator if you and your spouse can come to an agreement and properly communicate. If you already have a strong case, a family lawyer for men will often discourage you from adding in a third party that will not act on your wishes, but instead come up with a solution that is in the best interest of the child.

Make sure to speak with the experienced attorney’s at In Law We Trust for a confidential consultation. Going through divorce with children doesn’t have to be complicated.