What Custody Evaluators Actually Look For (From an Attorney Who Does Them)

🎯 "What does a custody evaluator actually look for?"

If you're terrified of your upcoming custody evaluation, attorney Tracy Galloway has the answer—and it might not be what you think.

Tracy has been a Massachusetts child custody and divorce attorney for over 30 years. She started at the Department of Children and Families working child welfare and abuse/neglect cases before transitioning to private practice in 1998.

And here's what makes her perspective unique: Tracy does custody evaluations herself.

"I need to see that the person in front of me is being proportionate about their experience, but also able to hold in their mind at the same time that a judge needs facts and what's going to be best for a child," Tracy explains. "That's a lot of plates to hold at the same time."

This conversation demystifies the custody evaluation process, explains the different types of GALs and what they're actually looking for, and provides practical strategies for presenting yourself credibly—even when discussing domestic violence.

What You'll Learn:

✅ What custody evaluations are and when they're ordered
✅ Category E GALs (clinicians) vs. Category F GALs (attorneys)—and why the difference matters
✅ Does it matter who pays the GAL? (No—and here's why)
✅ Substituted judgment GALs: When child's therapy privilege is at issue
✅ How to talk about domestic violence: "It's not the what, it's the how"
✅ What "proportionate communication" means to evaluators
✅ Why credibility matters more than having all the answers
✅ Does confirmation bias exist? (Should you meet the GAL first?)
✅ What evaluators want to see: openness, cooperation, child-focus
✅ The two things to do TODAY if evaluation is coming
✅ How to prepare: Brief, informative, factual email
✅ Why anger management and exercise are critical
✅ "You met that person, you made a baby with that person—this is what you have to work with"
✅ Tracy's passionate, direct approach to helping clients take responsibility

About Tracy Galloway:

Attorney Tracy Galloway has been practicing Massachusetts child custody and divorce law for over 30 years. Her roots are in litigation for the Department of Children and Families, handling child welfare, abuse, and neglect cases. Since transitioning to private practice in 1998, she's honed her focus specifically to divorce—"Because it's a very, it's its own model and it ends up with the happy result at the end of a divorce." Tracy also conducts custody evaluations herself, giving her unique dual perspective as both advocate and evaluator. She's the founder of Divorce Bootcamp, an online coaching business born from frustration that there isn't more accessible information available in multiple formats (video, not just text) for people navigating divorce. She offers free and low-cost resources, coaching, and "fresh talk" to anyone who needs it—literally giving her cell phone number and offering 5 free minutes to anyone who texts.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: Demystifying custody evaluations
02:10 - What is a custody evaluation and when is it ordered?
03:58 - Category E (clinician) vs. Category F (attorney) GALs
05:47 - Tracy's background: DCF to private practice to Divorce Bootcamp
07:06 - How to talk about domestic violence to evaluators
07:58 - Proportionate communication: Holding multiple plates at once
09:45 - Credibility is everything: They need to believe you
12:30 - Does it matter who pays the GAL? (Bias concerns)
15:20 - Substituted judgment: Child therapy privilege evaluation
18:40 - Does confirmation bias exist in custody evaluations?
21:15 - What evaluators look for: Openness, cooperation, child-focus
24:50 - Documentation: When and how to provide materials
28:35 - Preparing for home visits and child observations
32:20 - The importance of routine and sta