Skip to main content

Co-Parenting Coordinator Agreements - What They Can Do and How to Draft Them

By

Photo by Marcelo Silva on Unsplash
Conflict between parents negatively affects children but for some parents it's hard to avoid conflict when separating or divorcing.  Loss, grief, and anger all make it difficult to co-parent and some parents need help overcoming those barriers. One of the professionals that can help parents reduce conflict by assisting them in making the necessary co-parenting decisions is a Co-Parenting Coordinator.  The duties of a Co-Parenting Coordinator can vary but often include assisting parents with decision making around:

  • changes or clarifications of the existing parenting plan;
  • exchanges of the child or children including date, time, place, means of and responsibilities for transportation;
  • education or daycare including school choice, tutoring, summer school, before and after school care, participation in special education testing and programs, or other educational decisions;
  • enrichment and extracurricular activities including camps and jobs;
  • the child or children's travel and passport arrangements;
  • clothing, equipment, and personal possessions of the child or children;
  • means of communication by a parent with the child or children when they are not in that parent's care;
  • role of and contact with significant others and extended families;
  • psychotherapy or other mental health care including substance abuse or mental health assessment or counseling for the child or children;
  • psychological testing or other assessments of the children; and
  • religious observances and education.
In addition, sometimes Co-Parenting Coordinators are granted quasi-judicial powers to make binding decisions when parents disagree, subject to review by the court.

In Massachusetts, if parties have agreed to the appointment of a Co-Parenting Coordinator, they should review Probate and Family Court Standing Order 1-17.  For an agreement to use a Co-Parenting Coordinator be enforceable by the court in Massachusetts it must be signed in writing by the parties and the Co-Parenting Coordinator, and in compliance with the Standing Order.  We suggest filing such an agreement as a separate addendum and have created a template for parenting coordinator appointment available here, which follows the Standing Order requirements.

Because the Agreement to use the Co-Parenting Coordinator is also signed by the Co-Parenting Coordinator as well it shouldn't be included in the same document as the rest of a parenting or divorce agreement.  Following is sample language that can be used in a parenting agreement to reference the separate addendum:

PARENTING COORDINATOR ADDENDUM: _________ and _________ agree to the appointment of a Parenting Coordinator as defined in Probate and Family Court Standing Order 1-17 and they intend to file with this Agreement an Addendum outlining the terms of the Parenting Coordinator’s appointment, the terms of which are incorporated herein.


Gray Jay Endeavors, LLC provides Separation Agreement Templates and Massachusetts divorce forms as a resource for professionals and divorcing couples.  If you are a professional who wants to learn more about our forms subscriptions visit GrayJayEndeavors.com.  

 

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2024 U.S. Presidential Party Platforms - What are the policy positions that could affect families?

By
While the laws that affect family formation, marriage and divorce are often made at the state level, there are also many policies and laws at the federal level that affect families and children.  Just some examples from recent years that have impacted families in my mediation practice include changes to the federal tax laws (such as  the elimination of the alimony tax deduction ) and U.S. Supreme Court rulings on same sex marriage and reproductive health rights.  In just over a month, the United States presidential election will have a significant impact on these federal policies going forward, and could choose the next appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court as well. In 2016 and 2020 we shared what each presidential platform said about families and policy regarding family formation and dissolution, and below we'll provide you an update on the 2024 presidential platforms.  As Maya Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."...
1 comment
Read more

Massachusetts Family Court Financial Statement - Instructions & Best Practices

By
During a divorce, or other case in the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court that involves your finances, such as a child support case, you will likely be required to file a court form Financial Statement.  In Massachusetts there are two versions of this form: a "short form" if your income is under $75,000 and a "long form" if your income is $75,000 or more.  Many people find these forms confusing and we've compiled a list of helpful information for filling them out. First , to access the forms, the court has provided pdf or online versions here: Massachusetts Rule 401 Short Form Financial Statement (pdf) Massachusetts Rule 401 Long Form Financial Statement (pdf) There are also some basic instructions provided by the court explaining the sections of the forms and providing access to a Schedule A (for self-employed people) and Schedule B (for rental income): Massachusetts Rule 401 Short Form Financial Statement Basic Instructions Massachusetts Rule 401 Long F...
Post a Comment
Read more

Can you Deviate from the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines?

By
When completing the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Worksheet , many people are surprised by the resulting amount.  The court treats the worksheet amount as presumptive, which means that the amount in the worksheet is likely to be ordered by the court unless there is a good reason to deviate.  A common question in mediation between parents (both married and unmarried) is: If we agree to a different child support amount than the worksheet (or no child support at all), can we opt out or agree to a different child support than the guidelines suggests? The short answer is: sometimes.   In order to receive a Judgment from the court (whether in a divorce or an action between unmarried parents), the court requires the filing of the Child Support Guidelines worksheet.  However, there is a list of deviation factors in the Guidelines that the court can consider for ordering a number different than the worksheet.   When people are proposing a deviation tha...
Post a Comment
Read more