A Conversation about Parent Coordination
It’s been seven years since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reintroduced parent coordination. It was brought back as it is now, and it has been an effective tool in a wide range custody cases. But it’s probably most useful for those cases that are on the edge of litigation or mutual irritation, where a third party can make a decision without involving a judge. I wrote about the “new version” of parenting coordination for the Legal Intelligencier in 2018 and I recently discussed how the effectiveness of the current version on the Law in the Family Podcast with two attorneys who handle parent coordination, Elizabeth Early, Esquire and David Melchiorre, Esquire.
Parent coordinators are typically appointed for a year at the cost of the parties. The court order that appoints them will outline their authority, and the coordinators will have their own preferred procedure for handling issues. A parent coordinator can save time and money for both parties, regardless of whether they hire lawyers or represent themselves. Consider that taking every case to court can cost you not only legal fees but also lost wages from taking a half-day or a full-day off, or costs associated with childcare or other considerations. It is a useful tool in many cases, and it’s worth investigating.
#parentcoordination #parentingcoordinator #highconflictcustody
