O’Neil & Attorneys’ Publishes Free Booklet on Social Study Evaluations in Child Custody Cases

DALLAS - Sept. 30, 2013 - PRLog -- Dallas divorce law firm O’Neil & Attorneys has recently released a new booklet that provides valuable guidance for families that are subject to evaluation by social workers as part of their custody battles or divorces. The recently released publication, titled Social Study Evaluation, is the second part of a planned series of family law-focused booklets. The published work is available for free download (http://www.oneilattorneys.com/Free-Booklets.aspx) on the law firm’s website.

Contested custody cases and divorce cases often result in the judge assigning a social worker to conduct an evaluation (or a “social study”) of the parents or other relatives involved in the case and their circumstances. Once the evaluation is completed, the social worker then offers a recommendation to the judge concerning conservatorship, possession of the child and/or access to the child. By reading O’Neil & Attorneys’ Social Study Evaluation, booklet, parents can educate themselves about these types of evaluations so they can be well-prepared for what lies ahead in their cases. The publication explores topics such as the initial social study interview, the social worker’s visit to the home, the process of completing a social study questionnaire and what can be expected in the final report.

Michelle O’Neil, the law firm’s founding partner, is the author of a number of different family law-related publications. She has written two books, which include All About Texas Law and Kids (published in 2009) and Basics of Texas Divorce Law (published in 2010 with a second edition released in 2012). Before the release of the Social Study Evaluation booklet, Ms. O’Neil also published a booklet titled What You Need to Know About Common Law Marriage in Texas. In addition to these written works, Ms. O’Neil has also had various articles and iPhone apps published. Her apps include the Cost & Prep app, the Estate Divider app and the Possession Calendar app.

Attorney O’Neil is a board-certified family law specialist who has more than 20 years of experience. Throughout her career, she has received numerous professional recognitions for her work in family law, such as her inclusion in the Texas Super Lawyers® list for multiple years in a row and her AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®. She and her associate attorneys work diligently to obtain positive results for their clients as they face challenging legal matters that affect their families. The Dallas divorce lawyers handle a wide array of family law matters, including those that have to do with divorce, child custody, paternity issues, pre- and post-marital agreements and much more. More information about O’Neil & Attorneys is available at http://www.oneilattorneys.com.