How Does a Parenting Coordinator Help Couples During Custody Disputes?
If you have children from your marriage and you’re contemplating divorce, you will need to decide on issues related to child custody and create a parenting plan for your children. Unfortunately, this process can become bogged down in ill will and bad feelings, creating a situation where the court would have to intervene. To avoid court involvement right off the bat, the State of Pennsylvania employs parenting coordinators to help mediate discussions related to child custody and visitation. In this article, Philadelphia divorce lawyers at the Law Offices of Lauren H. Kane will discuss the role of parenting coordinators in high-conflict custody cases.
What can a parenting coordinator do?
A parenting coordinator is a court-appointed mediator who helps parents address custody issues that may prevent the establishment of a final custody order. During a high-conflict custody battle, parents may feel the need to ask the judge to intervene on their behalf for every decision. However, family law courts can use parenting coordinators to mediate and resolve minor issues that present stumbling blocks for the parents themselves. A parenting coordinator can make recommendations concerning how parents can compromise on disputes without forcing them to present their entire case before the judge. Such issues include:
- Adjusting a visitation schedule for special events or circumstances
- Coordinating childcare arrangements
- Exchanging information between parents concerning the child’s health, schooling, and mental health
- Coordinating custody around court-ordered services including therapy, anger management, alcohol or drug treatment, and more
- School disputes except for the selection of the school
- Arranging the custodial transitions between the two households
What can parenting coordinators not do?
Parenting coordinators are mediators and, as mediators, they cannot make the final decision about custody, visitation, or anything else. It’s important to understand the limitations of the parenting coordinator. Their role is to facilitate discussion between the two parents—not make decisions on their behalf. Among the things that a parenting coordinator can NOT do:
- Change custody rights and custody orders
- Increase or reduce parenting time
- Change the child’s place of residence
- Approve or deny relocation petitions
- Change child support payments
- Make decisions concerning the child’s health, education, and religion
If the parenting coordinator is unsuccessful in resolving the dispute between the parents, they can present their findings to the court to help the judge make a better decision on the matter.
What are parenting coordinators assigned to cases?
After the judge has issued a final custody order, they can decide to appoint a parenting coordinator who will resolve any future issues in the case. Judges generally restrict the use of parenting coordinators for high-conflict cases. Both parents pay for the parenting coordinator at an hourly rate. In addition, the parenting coordinator can only be assigned to your case for a maximum of 12 months unless the parents request an extension.
Conversely, parents may also file a motion and request a parenting coordinator help with their family law case. The request must be approved by a judge. The parents will need to pay all associated fees.
Talk to a Philadelphia Child Custody Attorney Today
The Law Offices of Lauren H. Kane represent the interests of Philadelphia residents embroiled in custody disputes. Call our Philadelphia family lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your goals and concerns right away.
