The Impact of Case Law on Vocational Expert Examinations and Opinions in Marital Dissolution

As vocational experts, there is much that can be learned from the decisions of judicial officers in past marital dissolution cases.Consistently, the courts are not in favor of relying on generalizations when rendering their decisions.Reviewing those judicial opinions can assist vocational experts in conducting vocational exams and research to arrive at opinions that are reasonable, ethical, credible and persuasive.Court decisions included in this article are summarized regarding spousal support, alimony, and child support in family law cases.A vocational expert was not retained in all cases cited; however the information considered and the decisions of the court are relevant to our work.This article discusses earning capacity, opportunity, effort, and the other considerations of the courts in governing support.