Tools for Bergen County Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Bergen County 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.

Families in Bergen County who end up in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Family Division, Bergen Vicinage rarely arrive at a mediation, a therapy session, or a home visit with their records in order. FamilyCourtHelp.com is a self-help platform built for those parents. Below is what it does for them, what it means for you as a guardian ad litem, therapist, or mediator, and what to know about family court in Bergen County.

Area covered: Bergen County.

Court for custody cases: Superior Court of New Jersey, Family Division, Bergen Vicinage.

Appointed for the child: Guardian ad litem.

Custody mediation: Usually required in custody disputes (Parenting Mediation).

Parenting coordinators: Appointed by court order.

Parenting class: Required statewide (Parents' Education Program).

State family law: New Jersey Statutes Title 2A:34 - Dissolution of Marriage.

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 Bergen County

In New Jersey, the court can appoint a guardian ad litem in a custody case. What the role involves is in the FAQ below.

On FamilyCourtHelp.com you see what a parent chooses to share. A parent can invite you into the co-parent conversation with a single-use link, which you accept with your own free account; from there you can read the thread, post in it, and review the shared calendar's requests and approvals. A parent can also share the parenting plan with you to read and comment on.

For therapists and counselors in Bergen County

Court-involved and reunification therapists, co-parenting counselors, and custody evaluators in Bergen County do not get an account view here, and that is deliberate: each parent keeps their own record and chooses what to bring you. The free messenger keeps the week's facts in one time-stamped thread, and its Tone Meter flags a heated message and suggests a calmer one before it is sent.

For mediators and parenting coordinators in Bergen County

In New Jersey, custody mediation is usually required when parents disagree about custody. Courts can appoint a parenting coordinator by order. The details are in the FAQ below.

Sessions in Bergen County start further along when the draft is already on the table. Parents can share their parenting plan with you to read and comment on, and invite you into their conversation with a single-use link. Agreements then live in one time-stamped thread, and every schedule change is a request on the shared calendar that the other parent approves or declines.

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

Family court in Bergen County: what to know

Custody cases in Bergen County are heard in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Family Division, Bergen Vicinage.

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

Bergen: Bergen Vicinage Court User Resource Center, (201) 221-0700 ext. 25103. Free courthouse help desk that finds forms and answers court questions for people without a lawyer.

Bergen legal aid: Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Corporation, (201) 792-6363.

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 Bergen County?

The Family Division of the Superior Court for Bergen County sits at the Bergen County Justice Center in Hackensack. It hears divorce, custody, parenting time and child support cases.

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: Bergen Vicinage Court User Resource Center. Free legal aid: Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Corporation. 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 Bergen County?

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 a Bergen County custody case?

A New Jersey Family Division judge can appoint a guardian ad litem in a custody case after finding that it is in the child's best interest. The guardian ad litem represents the child's best interests and is not a mediator between the parents. You may also see "GAL". The rule is in N.J. Court Rule 5:8B. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in New Jersey?

When custody or parenting time is a genuine and substantial issue in a New Jersey family case, court rules require the judge to refer the parents to mediation, where trained mediators help them build a parenting plan. Cases involving domestic violence are kept out of this process.

Does New Jersey use parenting coordinators?

The New Jersey courts have a Parenting Coordinator Program with statewide guidelines and forms issued by the Judiciary. A judge can appoint a parenting coordinator to help parents settle day to day disputes under their parenting order.

Do parents in New Jersey have to take a parenting class?

In a New Jersey divorce, nullity or separate maintenance case where custody, parenting time or child support is at issue, the court orders both parties to complete the Parents' Education Program before the final judgment. Skipping it can be considered when the court decides custody and parenting time.