Parent Coordination

Parent Coordination in North Carolina

In North Carolina, a judge may appoint a parenting coordinator at any point during a child custody case. The appointment can be made by agreement of the parties or by the court in high-conflict cases, provided the parties can afford the cost and the appointment is in the best interest of the child.

A parenting coordinator’s authority is defined by the court order appointing them. Their role is limited to helping the parties comply with the custody order and resolving disputes related to issues that are ambiguous, conflicting, or not specifically addressed in the order. Common areas within a parenting coordinator’s scope include disagreements about health care, education, and extracurricular activities.

Parenting coordinators work directly with the parties to the custody case—most often the parents, but sometimes other individuals with custodial rights. The court determines how their fees will be allocated; in most cases involving two parents, the cost is divided equally.

Parenting coordinators are required to be certified to be included on the district court’s list of parenting coordinators.

These Wake Family Law Group attorneys are certified parent coordinators:

Katie King

Justin Mauney

Helen O’Shaughnessy

Rachel Beard

Zach Underwood

Steve Palmé, Of Counsel