A custody evaluator is a mental health professional who conducts a comprehensive evaluation of a family's parenting dynamics and produces a report with recommendations about legal decision making and parenting time. Custody evaluations are ordered by the court in complex contested parenting cases.

A custody evaluation is a significant undertaking. The evaluator typically interviews both parents, interviews the children, reviews relevant records, may conduct psychological testing, and interviews collateral sources. The process can take months and can cost significant money.

Custody evaluator reports carry weight but they are not binding. The court makes its own determination after considering the report alongside all other evidence presented at trial. They are very expensive.