EXPERTS IN A LAS VEGAS DIVORCE/CUSTODY CASE

Many complex divorce/custody cases require the insight of a team of outside experts. In addition to selecting the right Las Vegas family lawyer to manage your case, the complexities and intricacies of your case may warrant the hiring of other individuals as part of the best, most effective, analysis and presentation of your case. This is especially so in high-stakes litigation where expert testimony is often a crucial part of obtaining your desired result.

Choosing Goldstein Flaxman PLLC as your attorney who has already developed a network of these experts means you get the benefit of this group of experts in your case should you need it, without having to worry about finding them and vetting them on your own. These are some of the most common types of experts brought into Las Vegas divorce and custody cases:

Forensic Accountant

A forensic accountant conducts a thorough investigation of the marital finances through an analysis of financial documents and records. This is especially important in high-net-worth divorce cases or situations where one spouse believes the other to be hiding assets. A forensic accountant can trace separate and community property, analyze commingling of funds and assets, evaluate and look for evidence of community waste, detect fraud and concealment of income and assets, among other things, all of which is often prepared in a report which is provided to the other side as well as the Court. These reports are critical and frequently form the basis for settlement, or for the Court’s orders if the matter proceeds to trial.

Business Valuation Expert

When there is a business involved in a divorce, the division of property can become extremely complex. The valuation of a business is often a highly contentious issue and one that can be fraught with pitfalls for the inexperienced lawyer; it can even be a difficult issue for the judge to fully comprehend. A business valuation expert is an individual (CPA, accredited appraiser, economist, etc.) with a background in digging through these issues and presenting an accurate picture of a business’s worth. It is common for the business valuation expert to work with the forensic accountant to review the company’s books, records, and finances to ensure that everything is proper before rending his opinion as to the business’s value.

Psychological Expert and Child Custody Evaluator

In child custody cases, the sole consideration of the Court is the best interests of the child. Judges are lawyers… not child psychologists, psychiatrists or marriage and family therapists and, on many occasions, will therefore desire assistance from these professionals in making the appropriate custodial determination. You may also want to have your own custodial evaluation performed. Selection of the right custody evaluation expert can have a tremendous impact on your custody case because in nearly all of the custody cases where an evaluation report is prepared, the Court follows the recommendations of the expert. These experts are especially important when dealing with allegations of abuse and alienation and to assist with custodial recommendations for special needs children.

Real Estate Expert

If you and/or your spouse own real estate, whether together, individually, or with someone else, you may need to bring in a real estate expert (broker, appraiser) to appraise the value of the property. Having a real estate expert determine a value on the marital home, for example, can give both parties options as to whether one person will stay in the home or whether it is better for them to sell it and split the proceeds. The real estate expert can also advise how the current market conditions will affect the time it may take to sell the property, and in the case of rentals, can provide a reasonable rental value. The use of a real estate expert expert can be extremely important in Las Vegas given the volatility of this unique market.

Vocational Expert and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst

In Las Vegas divorces where one spouse’s earning potential is in question, often when one spouse has not worked in a significant period of time, or when there is a disability or health issues, a vocational expert can evaluate a spouse’s skill level, education, and areas of expertise to determine whether he or she can be gainfully employed, and at what income level, or whether additional education or training is necessary. These determinations are critical in an alimony case.

A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst performs a lifestyle analysis of the standard of living during the marriage. They can assist in determining how much money you will need to live after divorce, developing a budget that demonstrates an appropriate level of spousal and child support, analyzing the short and long-term financial impact of the settlement and summarizing the respective financial circumstances of the parties for the Court at trial. These issues and their proper analysis is often key in a significant, lifestyle based, alimony case.

Forensic Document Examiner and Handwriting Experts

There may be occasions where someone disputes their signature on a document or claims that a signature has been forged, or occasions where a document has been altered or completely fabricated. These issues can arise in a divorce case for many types of documents including prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, wills, trusts, deeds, contracts, checks, and promissory notes all of which may need an expert to scrutinize them. It is important to have these claims determined by the appropriate expert who can evaluate the authenticity of the signatures and documents.

The selection of the appropriate expert(s) can have a profound impact on your divorce or custody case and is a decision that should be carefully considered. Goldstein Flaxman PLLC has developed excellent relationships with the experts widely recognized by the Clark County Family Court judges to be the best in Las Vegas through his extensive trial experience. You will feel confident that Shawn Goldstein will assemble the appropriate team of experts to augment your case.