A certified unbiased appraisal report by an accredited appraiser is very useful to the attorneys on both sides and the judge in arriving at a fair distribution of assets.
Hours of bickering and legal fees can be headed off by obtaining the appraisal early in the case of a contested divorce. The cost of the appraisal is usually a bargain against the cost of extended litigation.
Ideally both attorneys can agree on the selection of the appraiser and which approach to value to use in addition to what property is not included in the estate, such as items belonging to children. As a matter of practice, I usually recommend the liquidation approach to value.