Tools for Indianapolis Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis move through the Marion Superior Court, Family Division, 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: Marion County.

Court for custody cases: Marion Superior Court, Family Division.

Appointed for the child: Guardian ad litem.

Custody mediation: Depends on the county or judge (Domestic Relations Alternative Dispute Resolution Fund Plan).

Parenting coordinators: Set by state law or court rule (Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines, Section V).

Parenting class: Depends on the county or judge.

State family law: Indiana Code Title 31 - Family Law and Juvenile 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 guardians ad litem in Indianapolis

In Indiana, the court can appoint a guardian 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.

For therapists and counselors in Indianapolis

For court-involved therapists, co-parenting counselors, and custody evaluators in Indianapolis, 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 Indianapolis

In Indiana, custody mediation is set county by county. Parenting coordinators are set by state law or court rule (Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines, Section V). 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 Indianapolis. 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.

Parenting coordinators can be added to a shared plan as a viewer who reads and comments.

Family court programs in Indianapolis

Custody cases in Indianapolis are heard in the Marion Superior Court, Family Division. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

Kids' Voice of Indiana GAL/CASA Volunteer Advocate Program: Indianapolis nonprofit whose trained volunteers are appointed as guardians ad litem for children in Marion County divorce, paternity, custody and guardianship cases.

Marion County approved parent education courses: List of parent education courses approved by the Marion Circuit and Superior Court judges for parents in family cases.

If you searched for a guardian ad litem, a family therapist, or a custody mediator in Indianapolis, 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 Indianapolis: the court help desks and legal aid offices below were checked link by link for the site's free pro se help directory.

Marion: Marion Superior Courts Legal Resource Center. Walk-in help desk at the courthouse staffed by non-attorney court navigators who help people fill out approved court forms.

Marion legal aid: Indiana Legal Services, (317) 631-9410.

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 Indianapolis?

Divorce and custody cases in Indianapolis are filed at the Marion County Community Justice Campus and assigned to the Marion Superior Court family division courts.

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: Marion Superior Courts Legal Resource Center. Free legal aid: Indiana Legal Services. 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 Indianapolis?

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 a guardian ad litem do in an Indianapolis custody case?

In Indiana custody and parenting time cases, a judge may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent and protect the child's best interests. Indiana courts also appoint CASA volunteers in some custody and paternity cases. You may also see "GAL", "court appointed special advocate" and "CASA". The rule is in Indiana Guardian ad Litem Guidelines for Civil Family Law Cases. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Indiana?

Indiana has no single statewide custody mediation program. Counties may adopt a domestic relations ADR plan that helps pay for mediation and related services based on ability to pay.

Does Indiana use parenting coordinators?

Section V of the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines, in effect since January 1, 2022, lets a court appoint a parenting coordinator to help high-conflict parents. The coordinator must be a registered Indiana domestic relations mediator with added training. Appointment may be a poor fit where domestic abuse is present.

Do parents in Indiana have to take a parenting class?

No single statewide parenting class rule was confirmed. Indiana counties set this by local rule, and some keep their own list of parent education courses.