Parenting Assessments and Their Use in Family Law Disputes in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario
Date
2017-07-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family
Abstract
The use of mental health assessments for the purpose of decision-making in parenting disputes has become relatively commonplace in Canadian family law disputes. These assessments, also called “custody and access reports” and “bilateral assessments,” are usually requested when the views and opinions of an independent expert are needed to help separated parents or the court determine the parenting arrangements that are in the best interests of minor children. This paper reviews practice and procedure in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, and examines: the extent to which these assessments are used and relied upon in courtroom decision-making; and, whether there is a relationship between the cost of private assessments and the frequency of their use in these jurisdictions.
Description
Keywords
family law, law
Citation
Boyd, J.-P. E. (2017). Parenting Assessments and Their Use in Family Law Disputes in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. (Rep.). Calgary, AB: Canadian Research Institutue for Law and the Family