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Bill

SB 25

Family Law – Child Custody Evaluators – Qualifications

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mary Beth Carozza and 2 co-sponsors

Maryland bill establishes new professional qualification requirements for child custody evaluators to standardize family court assessment practices and potentially improve evaluation reliability.

Referred to interim study by Judicial Proceedings
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Bill Summary · SB 25

Legislative bill overview

SB 25 establishes new qualification standards for child custody evaluators in Maryland family court proceedings. The bill specifies educational, training, and professional requirements that individuals must meet to conduct custody evaluations, which are assessments used by judges to make decisions about child custody arrangements.

Why is this important

Custody evaluators significantly influence family court outcomes that directly affect children's living situations and parental rights. Standardizing evaluator qualifications aims to ensure consistency, reduce bias, and improve the reliability of evaluations that shape custody decisions affecting thousands of Maryland families annually.

Potential points of contention

  • Professional scope creep concerns: Defining strict qualifications may limit qualified professionals from other disciplines (social workers, psychologists, counselors) who currently perform evaluations, potentially reducing evaluator availability and increasing costs for families.
  • Implementation costs and timelines: Courts and existing evaluators may face significant compliance burdens and expenses to meet new standards, potentially creating delays in custody proceedings during transition periods.
  • Grandfather clause disputes: Disagreement may arise over whether currently practicing evaluators should be grandfathered in or required to meet new standards, affecting established professionals and court operations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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