Child Custody Investigations in Florida

Here at Brener Investigations Group, we understand the delicate nature of child custody investigations. Our child custody investigators in Florida always focus on the child’s safety, well-being, and treatment. Our goal is to objectively examine the child’s treatment by the parent in question, collect evidence and present our findings to a court.

Our private investigators are trained in child custody matters and understand how to spot the signs of child abuse and neglect.  We commit our resources to establish a plan to legally collect evidence to be presented on your behalf in family court proceedings.  We base our plans on the dozens of successful child custody investigations that we have concluded in Florida and New York City.

What Are Child Custody Investigations?

Child custody investigations are investigations conducted in the context of a child custody dispute. They are conducted by a private investigator or by a government agency, such as the police or child protective services, to gather information and evidence to help a court determine which parent or guardian is best suited to have custody of a child.

The purpose of a child custody investigation is to determine the best interests of the child, which is the standard used by courts to make custody decisions. The investigation may include:

• Interviews: The investigator may interview the parents, grandparents, other family members, and anyone else who may have information relevant to the child’s best interests.
• Home visits: The investigator may visit the homes of the parents or guardians to observe the living conditions and the interactions between the child and the adults in the home.
• Background checks: The investigator may conduct background checks on the parents or guardians to gather information about their criminal history, employment history, and other relevant factors.
• Surveillance: The investigator may conduct surveillance on the parents or guardians to observe their behavior and gather information about their lifestyle and habits.
• Psychological evaluation: An investigator may also conduct a psychological evaluation on the parents or guardians or the child to determine the mental and emotional well-being of the individuals involved.

The duration of a child custody investigation can vary depending on the complexity of the case and the availability of information. It is important to work with a professional who have the experience and resources to conduct an effective and efficient investigation, and also to comply with the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction where the investigation is taking place.

How Can I Get Legal Custody Of My Child?

In most cases, you will need to go through the legal system and secure an order from the court granting you custody of the child before you can declare yourself the child’s legal guardian. Filing a petition for custody, attending a hearing, and presenting evidence in support of your case may be some of the specific actions you need to take, but the specific measures you need to do will depend on the jurisdiction in which you live as well as the specific circumstances of your case. It is highly recommended that you get the advice of an attorney who specializes in family law in order to have someone walk you through the process, safeguard your rights, and look out for the child’s best interests.

What Types Of Custody Are There?

Your individual circumstances and your own assessment of what you consider to be in your child’s best interests will determine the type of custody arrangement that you should petition the court for. Legal custody and physical custody are the two distinct forms that custody can take.

• Legal custody is the right to make significant choices on behalf of a child, including choices concerning the kid’s education, health care, and religious upbringing, amongst other things. Legal custody can either be single legal custody or joint legal custody. These are the two options. When one parent has sole legal custody of a kid, that parent has the exclusive ability to make choices regarding the child, however when both parents share legal custody, they have equal rights to participate in decision-making over the child.
• When we talk about “physical custody," we’re referring about things like who the child lives with and how much time they spend with each parent. Primary physical custody and joint physical custody are the two categories that fall under the category of physical custody. When one parent has primary physical custody of a kid, it implies that the child spends the majority of their time with that parent, however when both parents share physical custody, it means that the child spends time with both of them equally.

It is crucial to think about what form of custody arrangement would be best for your child when deciding what kind of custody arrangement to want, and you should also be prepared to give evidence to back up your proposal. It is also highly recommended that you seek the advice of an attorney who specializes in family law in order to safeguard both your legal rights and the welfare of your child.

What Happens When You File For Legal Custody?

If you petition the court for legal custody of a kid, the judge will evaluate your request while also keeping in mind what is in the child’s best interests. The court has the option of appointing a guardian ad litem, who acts as an impartial third party and is tasked with conducting an investigation and providing recommendations to the court about custody. The testimony and evidence presented by both parties, including witnesses, papers, and reports from experts, may also be taken into consideration by the court. The child’s connection with each parent, the parents’ ability to provide for the child’s needs, and any previous instances of abuse or neglect may also be taken into consideration by the court.
The court will decide, on the basis of the evidence that has been submitted, which party ought to have legal custody of the child, as well as the parameters of the custody arrangement that will be put into place. The order issued by the court will have the force of law behind it and be legally binding. If one of the parties to the custody dispute does not comply with the conditions of the order, the other party may petition the court to enforce the order.

Who Wins Child Custody?

When deciding who gets custody of a kid, the major concern of the court is what is in the child’s best interests. The court will take into account a number of criteria, such as the child’s bond with each parent, the parents’ ability to meet the child’s physical and emotional requirements, and any previous instances of abuse or neglect.
Because the decision to award custody will be determined by the particular facts of each individual case, neither parent can be certain that they will “win" the right to raise their child. One parent may be given sole legal custody of their child by the court in some circumstances, while the other parents may share legal custody in other circumstances. The court may also decide to award primary physical custody of the child to one parent while granting visitation privileges to the other parent.
The purpose of the court is to establish a custody plan for the kid that is in the child’s best interests and that provides the child with a secure and loving environment in which they can develop to their full potential.

What Happens When You Serve Someone Child Custody Papers?

When you formally notify someone that you have started a legal case for child custody in the court by serving them with child custody papers, you are doing it in the most formal way possible. The individual who is being served (the respondent) will then be expected to provide a response to the complaint within the allotted amount of time, which is normally anywhere between 20 and 30 days.
The act of sending notice to a responder that a lawsuit has been filed against them and that they are expected to answer to the complaint is referred to as “service of process." This is the legal way by which notice is provided. Personal delivery, certified mail, or service by a sheriff or another authorized process server are some of the various methods that can be utilized to carry out the responsibility of serving legal documents.
After the respondent has been served with the child custody papers, the respondent has the chance to oppose the custody request by filing either a response or a counter-petition with the court. After that, the court will set a date for a hearing at which both sides will have the opportunity to submit evidence and argue their case in support of their respective viewpoints.
It is vital to keep in mind that serving someone with child custody papers is a crucial stage in the legal process and can have a substantial impact on the result of the case. It is important to keep this in mind because it is important to note that serving someone with child custody documents. It is in your best interest to speak with an attorney who specializes in family law so that you may guarantee that you comprehend the legal process as well as your rights and duties.

How Can I Lose 50-50 Custody?

• If the court determines that joint custody is no longer in the kid’s best interests, one of the parents might potentially lose their parental rights to the child. The decision about child custody is made by the court based on what is seen to be in the kid’s best interest, and the court reserves the right to alter the custody arrangement should the child’s situation change.
  A court may decide to change the custody arrangement from 50-50 for a variety of reasons, including the following:
• A significant change in the circumstances If there has been a significant change in the circumstances, such as a change in the work schedule of one parent or a move to a new location, the court may amend the custody arrangement in order to better serve what is in the child’s best interests.
• Misconduct on the part of one or both parents: If one parent engages in behavior that is damaging to the child, such as substance abuse or neglect, the court has the discretion to restrict or terminate that parent’s custody rights.
• The wishes of the child: As children get older, the court may take into consideration the wishes of the children themselves about custody, particularly if they are of an age where they are competent to make such choices.
• Evidence of abuse or neglect If there is evidence that one parent has been abusive or neglectful toward the child, the court may change the custody arrangement in order to safeguard the child’s safety and well-being and to ensure that the kid receives proper care.

It is essential to keep in mind that altering the terms of a child custody arrangement is a serious matter that carries the potential for substantial repercussions. If you want to change the custody arrangement for your child, you should talk to an attorney who specializes in family law first. This will guarantee that both your rights and the child’s best interests are safeguarded in the process.

Often during a divorce, children are used as pawns between two parents who are bitter toward each other. They use children as leverage in divorce proceedings to negotiate, leaving the well-being of the children on the back burner.

If a parent is concerned that the other parent is unfit, but may have difficulty showing this in a court, a private investigator can help. We know the legal requirements regarding evidence and can provide expert testimony on behalf of our findings in court. Whether the investigation is for child custody or child visitation rights, private investigators can help learn the facts, obtain the evidence and provide expert testimony in court.

A private investigator that has experience in child custody matters will:

• Listen to and understand the issues and concerns presented to our client during consultations and meetings.  There should be no time limit on consultations and you should not feel like you are rushed.  There are a lot of facts to be heard and emotions involved.
• Explain in detail what private investigators can and cannot do during an investigation.  The key to a successful child custody investigation is to obtain evidence legally to be presented in court.  We have heard of countless cases where private investigators did not obtain the crucial evidence legally, and therefore not admissible in court.
• Come up with a clear plan that outlines the goals, actionable steps to obtain the evidence, timeline and budget.
• Always provide an easy-to-understand contract that contains the scope of services in the investigation and financial obligations.
• Explain what to expect at the end of the investigation and the possibility that our private investigators will need to testify in the child custody hearings.

In the course of a Child Custody Investigation, our experienced private investigators conduct surveillance, perform background checks and conduct witness interviews to ensure that we obtain all the relevant facts.

• Utilize surveillance to document the parent interactions with the child.  All video evidence is collected in 4K HD.  We utilize night vision technology, hidden camera systems and remote monitoring solutions.
• Provide evidence concerning activities that may have a negative impact on the child such as: Reckless Driving, Gambling, Drug and Alcohol Abuse and other criminal activities.  Our background checks provide information about criminal history, civil history, employment history and income verification.
• Collect evidence that show signs of a parent not providing a safe and hygienic living space, food, or other necessities.
• Discreetly obtain witness statements concerning the daily activities, living conditions, social interactions and parental interactions. There are different ways to approach a witness. The approach needs to be discreet and with a good pretext.  Private investigators have years of practice in the field, adjusting and perfecting their skills.

Our private investigators in South Florida have many years of field experience in cities like Miami, Miami Beach, Ft.Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Davie, Coral Gables, Deerfield Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Boynton Beach, Wellington, Orlando area, Tampa, Naples, and Clearwater.  These cities, and more are our backyards and we know the neighborhoods, people, and attitude.  When it comes to getting results, it is important to work with local private investigators who know how to get the evidence discreetly and efficiently.