How is child custody decided?
If you cannot mutually agree on custody, the court will have to determine the custody arrangement that it deems is in the best interest of the minor child. In some cases, the court will order a custody/parenting time evaluation to be done by a neutral private evaluator.
A custody/parenting time evaluation usually takes between three to six months to complete. The costs can vary between the evaluator chosen. The evaluator will make recommendations to the court. The courts will usually follow the recommendations.