Divorcing parents or parents with a paternity dispute, who can not appropriately and reasonably resolve disputes, go to the courts for resolution. A social investigator can be appointed to assist the judge by evaluating each parent's strengths and weaknesses and their relationship with their child. The evaluator creates recommendations that support the child’s best interest and addresses difficult issues like child abuse, mental illness, alienation and relocation.
Below is a link to Florida’s statutory criteria for determining a child’s best interest: