Conducted in St. Mary’s and Charles Counties, Maryland, the study examines how different approaches to legal representation for children influence case trajectories, attorney practices, and outcomes in complex custody cases. By comparing cases involving CVP Child Advocate Attorneys with cases using best-interests representation, the study generates empirical evidence about how child-centered legal advocacy functions in real-world court settings.

The study follows participating attorneys over time through quarterly surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews, alongside analysis of publicly available court records to track litigation activity, duration, and outcomes. Data collection runs for a minimum of two years under Institutional Review Board oversight, with robust confidentiality and data-security protections in place.