| As custody cases become more and more | | | | be occurring. Thus, they are making sure the child has |
| competitive, parents have begun seeking every | | | | a safe and healthy environment in which they can |
| available opportunity to gain an advantage on their | | | | thrive. |
| competition. This can involve multiple strategies, with | | | | Because a child custody investigator is hired to |
| some being more secretive than others. Hiring a child | | | | provide evidence to the court system, their work is |
| custody investigator is one way to build evidence | | | | typically secretive and very thorough. They may |
| against the other parent without them knowing. Since | | | | utilize many of the same tools and tactics that are |
| custody hearings take a number of different factors | | | | commonly found in detective work. Video |
| into consideration before making a decision, an | | | | surveillance, phone tapping, and constant observation |
| investigator can influence the perception of the court | | | | are just some of the ways they collect evidence. In |
| across many levels. | | | | a perfect world, their strategies are unbiased and |
| Contrary to popular belief, child custody investigators | | | | used only to paint an accurate picture of the parental |
| are not just private detectives hired by those who | | | | interaction levels. However, in cases where the |
| can afford their exorbitant fees. The court system | | | | investigator is hired privately, there is more pressure |
| also employs investigators to provide them with a | | | | on them to produce incriminating evidence against the |
| better insight into the daily routines and behaviors of | | | | other party. This can be a tough obstacle for the |
| both parents. Since the judge is unlikely to witness | | | | opposition to face, making it important that they |
| either parent's activities outside of the court room, it | | | | identify when they are being watched. |
| has become more common for the court to assign | | | | Custody battles have continued to grow more |
| an independent party to monitor these things. For | | | | aggressive over recent years. Not only have parents |
| that reason it is important for anyone facing a | | | | become more willing to experiment with unorthodox |
| custody hearing to become aware of the role that | | | | tactics to build their cases, but the court system has |
| an investigator plays, and how it may affect the | | | | also grown more stringent in their approach. This |
| outcome of the case. | | | | combination has left parents on both sides very little |
| The goal of an investigator is to measure the | | | | room for error. Because of the pressure surrounding |
| tendencies of each parent while interacting with their | | | | these cases, the use of child custody investigators |
| child. They look for how the parent relates with the | | | | has risen considerably. At one time they were only |
| child and what activities they participate in while | | | | used by those who afford to hire them privately, but |
| together. Ideally, the parent would offer enriching | | | | now the courts are beginning to utilize their services |
| activities that promote the social and educational | | | | as well. Since the evidence provided by them is so |
| growth of their youngster. It is also observed | | | | heavily weighted by the custody judge, it is vital for |
| whether or not the child enjoys these activities. | | | | parents to recognize the power that an investigator |
| Beyond this, the custody investigator is also looking | | | | can have over their case. |
| for any signs of physical or mental abuse that may | | | | |