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The Psychosocial Expertise: When Can It Be Relevant?

A psychosocial expertise is an evaluation ordered by the Court, carried out by a social worker or a psychologist. It is free of charge and aims to guide the Court when it must particularly make a judgment regarding child custody.

A psychosocial expertise can be ordered by a judge or requested by one of the parents.

However, one of the disadvantages of such expertise is that the time to complete it is too long; it far exceeds the official deadline of 90 days provided by the Law.

For what reasons can a psychosocial expertise be requested?

Firstly, it’s important to note that psychosocial expertise is not the perfect solution for all types of cases. It’s recommended in certain cases, while alternative solutions, such as the appointment of a lawyer for the child, may be considered in other cases.

The parent requesting a psychosocial expertise must invoke serious reasons in support of their request. Moreover, the expertise must be justified by the child’s interest.

Here are some situations that may justify a request for psychosocial expertise:

The Forensic Expertise

Besides psychosocial expertise, parents may decide to resort to an expertise. In this case, they can then choose their own expert or even use a common expert.

It’s important to note, however, that the cost of these expertises is very high. If parents decide to use the services of a common expert, they can share the costs of this expertise equally.

If the expertise is not common, the other parent can ask the judge to reject it by attacking the expert’s credibility or the necessity and relevance of the expertise.

Finally, it’s important to know that the Court is not bound by the conclusions or recommendations of the expertise report. The final decision always rests with the judges.

Contact Us !

If you wish to file a request with the Court and need assistance

Contact us for an initial consultation with one of our lawyers specializing primarily in family law and youth protection.

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