New minimum requirements for expert reports in child custody law

New minimum requirements for expert reports in child custody law

On September 29, 2025, the interdisciplinary working group for family law reports published the third edition of the “Minimum Requirements for the Quality of Expert Reports in Childhood Law”. This new version, which Prof. Dr. André Körner, who was significantly involved, brings in the perspective of legal psychology and serves as a central quality standard for psychological and psychiatric reports in child custody proceedings. The updated recommendations are not only an important step for quality assurance, but also for protecting the well-being of children.

The revision responds to current scientific and legal developments and specifies the technical requirements for a methodically clean assessment. Particular attention is paid to data protection, with clear guidelines for the legally secure collection and processing of sensitive data. Prof. Körner emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary exchange between lawyers, psychologists and practitioners, which is essential for the further development of quality standards. The minimum requirements have established themselves as an indispensable basis for the high-quality preparation of reports medicalschool-berlin.de underlined.

Advanced quality standards

The new edition was presented on September 17, 2025 during the German Family Court Conference (DFGT) and represents an expansion of the quality standards, which takes particular account of the current legal situation. Numerous professional associations from the fields of law, psychology and medicine were involved in the creation, supported by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and the Federal Court of Justice.

A key issue addressed in this revision is data protection. There are increasing questions about the handling of sensitive data in family courts and among those involved and experts. The working group has developed specific instructions to ensure greater clarity and security. This development is also supported by brak.de supported, although the uncertainties in practice are also perceived as a challenge.

Outlook on future topics

The interdisciplinary discussion aims to overcome the challenges of the digital age. The working group plans to also deal with the use of artificial intelligence in the context of reports in the future. The objective remains to further ensure the quality of family law assessments and to strengthen the normative basis. These forward-looking considerations are part of the working group's joint effort to continually review and adapt the relevance of its recommendations legalpsychologie-bdp.de emphasized.

The current edition of the minimum requirements can be accessed from the Federal Bar Association and provides valuable guidance for practitioners in the area of ​​child protection law. The interdisciplinary approach in the development of these standards shows how important close cooperation is to improve the quality of reports. If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Anja Kannegiesser is available.