Five things to know about a custody evaluation #4. Don’t try to assassinate the other person’s character

Be honest about what you say about the other parent. If they’ve got a problem with drugs, tell the examiner you think that the other parent has a problem with drugs. If they are so infatuated with the new girlfriend that they are ignoring the kids, acknowledge those things. However, your job in the custody evaluation is to prove that you are a good enough parent, not that the other parent is a bad parent. If they are as bad as you say they are, that will come through in the evaluation. There’s a difference between being real and honest about the other parent’s issues and trying to make them look really bad. We don’t expect you to ignore any deficits, problems or disagreements you have with the other parent. We do expect you to focus on how you are a good parent rather than spending all your time talking about how bad the other parent is.