One of the reasons why couples get divorced is because their communication breaks down. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that these same problems only intensify once a couple splits up. It’s often difficult for former spouses to have level-headed or amicable conversations about child custody. The advent of Parental Coordination has come into play to help in instances like this.
Parenting Coordination functions like alternative dispute resolution (ADR). It is a non-adversarial dispute resolution process that may be either agreed-to by parents or court-ordered. The goal of the Parenting Coordinator (PC) is to help high-conflict parents focus on what is in the best interest of their child.
PCs can help parents comply with a judge’s court order. They can also aid moms and dads in remaining on target in making timely decisions that meet their child’s psychological and developmental needs.
There is no privileged communication between parents and the PCs. Anything that a mom or dad shares with them may ultimately make its way back to the court. A PC may highlight the success or failure of the interventions they have had in their documentation submitted to the Florida family law judge.
Exceptions exist to this rule, though. A client’s information or records generally aren’t disclosed unless they’re relevant to the Parenting Coordination process or an emergency. It may happen if a court order requires the disclosure, or both parents sign an authorization form to give their permission for the release of information.
If you are going through a divorce and are dealing with a child custody dispute, then a PC may have a significant role in determining the outcome of your Florida case. An experienced child custody attorney can advise you when it may be beneficial for you to bring a PC into your Fort Myers legal matter to help decide what’s in your son or daughter’s best interests.
