Tools for Fayetteville Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Fayetteville families you work with, whether you serve as a guardian ad litem, a therapist, or a mediator. Messaging between co-parents is free for both parents, and every message is time-stamped and tamper-evident.

Custody cases in Fayetteville move through the Washington County Circuit Court, and many of the parents in them handle at least part of the case without a lawyer. For guardians ad litem, family therapists, and mediators, that usually means sorting fact from feeling before any real work can start. This page shows what the parents you work with can use on FamilyCourtHelp.com to come to you organized.

Area covered: Washington County.

Court for custody cases: Washington County Circuit Court.

Appointed for the child: Attorney ad litem.

Custody mediation: Depends on the county or judge (Arkansas Access and Visitation Family Mediation Program).

Parenting class: Depends on the county or judge.

State family law: Arkansas Code Title 9 - Family Law.

Co-parent messaging (Free): One time-stamped, tamper-evident thread, free for both parents, with a Tone Meter that offers calmer rewrites.

Invite a professional into the conversation (Free): A parent can add a guardian ad litem or mediator to the co-parent conversation with a single-use link.

Parenting plan, built and shared (Free to build): Parents draft a parenting plan and can share it with you to read and comment on.

Verify a chat export (Free): Check that an exported message record (the JSON file) has not been changed. No account needed.

Court-Grade Journal (Paid plan): A dated, no-delete journal; a parent can send you a packet of chosen entries.

Expense Tracker (Paid plan): Shared child costs with receipts; a parent can give you a view-only look.

Parents can create an account and message their co-parent for free, with no credit card. Building a parenting plan is free; sharing, downloading, and printing it, and the tools marked as a paid plan, are part of a monthly plan a parent can start and stop.

For attorneys ad litem and guardians ad litem in Fayetteville

In Arkansas, the court can appoint an attorney ad litem in a custody case. What the role involves is in the FAQ below.

The parents decide what you see. One of them can add you to the co-parent conversation with a single-use link, and once you accept with a free account you can read the thread, post in it, and follow schedule requests on the shared calendar. A shared parenting plan opens to you for reading and comments.

The invitation a parent sends is labeled Guardian ad Litem, the title most states use. It works the same if you serve as an attorney ad litem in Fayetteville.

For therapists and counselors in Fayetteville

For court-involved therapists, co-parenting counselors, and custody evaluators in Fayetteville, the site stays on the parents' side of the line: there is no therapist seat and no access to a family's account. What it changes is what walks into the room. Parents write to each other in one time-stamped thread, and the Tone Meter in the free messenger offers a calmer version of a message before it goes out.

For mediators and parenting coordinators in Fayetteville

In Arkansas, custody mediation is set county by county. The details are in the FAQ below.

A parent can invite you into the co-parent conversation with a single-use link and share the parenting plan for you to read and comment on, so you see the draft and the open issues before the first session in Fayetteville. Between sessions, agreements stay in writing in the one thread, and schedule changes go through the shared calendar as requests the other parent approves or declines.

Family court in Fayetteville: what to know

Custody cases in Fayetteville are heard in the Washington County Circuit Court.

If you searched for an attorney ad litem, a family therapist, or a custody mediator in Fayetteville, the court that has your case, the order in it, or your lawyer is the place to find who is appointed or approved. This site does not appoint professionals or refer you to one. What you can do here is come prepared: keep every message with your co-parent in one time-stamped thread, write down what happened with dates while it is fresh, and work on a parenting plan before the meeting.

Free help for parents in Fayetteville: the court help desks and legal aid offices below were checked link by link for the site's free pro se help directory.

Washington: Arkansas Judiciary Self-Help Resources, (501) 682-9400. The state court system's page with pro se guides and links for people representing themselves without a lawyer.

Washington legal aid: Legal Aid of Arkansas, (800) 952-9243.

FamilyCourtHelp.com is a self-help platform, not a law firm and not a court, and nothing on this page is legal, clinical, or mediation advice. Court rules and local programs change, so confirm anything that matters for a case with the court, the order that appointed you, or the program itself.

Frequently asked questions

Where are custody cases heard in Fayetteville?

The Washington County Circuit Court in Fayetteville hears domestic relations cases, including divorce, custody and visitation. The Washington County Circuit Clerk files the court papers for these cases.

Where can parents in Fayetteville get free help with a family court case?

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: Arkansas Judiciary Self-Help Resources. Free legal aid: Legal Aid of Arkansas. Phone numbers and links are in the parents section above, checked link by link for the site's free pro se help directory.

How can parents prepare for custody mediation in Fayetteville?

Bring the family calendar, a draft parenting plan, a list of the issues still open, and a list of shared costs with receipts. Parents can put all of that together on FamilyCourtHelp.com before the first session.

What does an attorney ad litem do in a Fayetteville custody case?

In an Arkansas divorce or custody case, a circuit judge may appoint a private attorney ad litem to represent the child when custody is an issue. The attorney must meet training and practice standards set by the Arkansas Supreme Court. You may also see "domestic relations attorney ad litem". The rule is in Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 15. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Arkansas?

Arkansas judges have discretion to order domestic relations cases to mediation. When custody, visitation or support is the issue, parents may be referred to a statewide program that offers free or reduced cost mediation to parents who qualify. Mediators taking cases from circuit courts must be certified by the state.

Do parents in Arkansas have to take a parenting class?

When divorcing parents have minor children, an Arkansas court may require each parent to complete classes on parenting issues faced by divorced parents. Each parent pays the cost of their own classes.