Unfortunately, many parents deal with substance abuse issues and these issues frequently come up in divorce and custody matters. Substance abuse issues can cause great concern for that parent’s ability to care for their child or make sound judgments. Oftentimes, the other parent will seek certain safeguards or protective measures from the Court to ensure that the other parent’s substance abuse issues do not negatively affect their child.
Similar to mental health evaluations, you may ask the Court to order the other party to submit to a substance abuse evaluation. The Court will ultimately have to decide if the assessment is appropriate based on the facts of the case and evidence provided.