Tools for New York City Attorneys for the Child, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the New York City families you work with, whether you serve as an attorney for the child, 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 New York City who end up in the New York City Family Court 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 an attorney for the child, therapist, or mediator, and what to know about family court in New York City.

New York uses its own words, "parenting time" where many states say visitation, and the tools follow New York's terms so the papers parents bring you read the way the court reads them.

Area covered: New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx and Richmond Counties.

Court for custody cases: New York City Family Court (custody and visitation); New York State Supreme Court (divorce).

Appointed for the child: Attorney for the child.

Custody mediation: Voluntary; a judge can refer (Custody/Visitation Mediation Program).

Parenting coordinators: Appointed by court order (Silbowitz v Silbowitz, 2011 NY Slip Op 07026).

Parenting class: Only if a judge orders it (New York State Parent Education and Awareness Program).

State family law: New York Domestic Relations 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 for the child in New York City

In New York, the court can appoint an attorney for the child 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.

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 for the child in New York City.

For therapists and counselors in New York City

Court-involved and reunification therapists, co-parenting counselors, and custody evaluators in New York City 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 New York City

In New York, custody mediation is voluntary, though a judge can refer a case. The court program is the Custody/Visitation Mediation Program. Courts can appoint a parenting coordinator by order (Silbowitz v Silbowitz, 2011 NY Slip Op 07026). The details are in the FAQ below.

Sessions in New York City 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 programs in New York City

Custody cases in New York City are heard in the New York City Family Court. The wider area takes in New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx and Richmond counties, and a case is heard by the court for the county where it is filed. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

New York City Family Court Custody/Visitation Mediation Program: Free, voluntary mediation for custody and visitation cases pending in the family courts of all five boroughs. Mediators are certified under court standards.

Attorneys for Children Program, Appellate Division, Second Department (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island): Keeps the panel of lawyers certified to represent children in Kings, Queens and Richmond counties, plus a separate panel of mental health professionals.

Attorneys for Children, Appellate Division, First Department (Manhattan and the Bronx): The First Department oversees attorneys for the child in New York and Bronx counties and publishes a handbook for them.

If you searched for an attorney for the child, a family therapist, or a custody mediator in New York City, 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 New York City: the court help desks and legal aid offices below were checked link by link for the site's free pro se help directory.

New York: New York County Family Court Help Center. Free help desk for Manhattan parents without a lawyer handling support, custody, or visitation.

New York legal aid: Legal Services NYC, (917) 661-4500.

Kings: Kings County Family Court Help Center. Free help desk for Brooklyn parents without a lawyer handling support, custody, or visitation.

Kings legal aid: Legal Services NYC, (917) 661-4500.

Queens: Queens County Family Court Help Center. Free help desk for Queens parents without a lawyer handling support, custody, or visitation.

Queens legal aid: Legal Services NYC, (917) 661-4500.

Bronx: Bronx County Family Court Help Center. Free help desk for Bronx parents without a lawyer handling child support, custody, or visitation cases.

Bronx legal aid: Legal Services NYC, (917) 661-4500.

Richmond: Richmond County Family Court Help Center. Free help desk for Staten Island parents without a lawyer handling support, custody, or visitation.

Richmond legal aid: Legal Services NYC, (917) 661-4500.

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 New York City?

Each borough has a branch of New York City Family Court, which hears custody, visitation, support and orders of protection. Divorce cases, including custody decided as part of a divorce, are heard in New York State Supreme Court.

Is there a court mediation program in New York City?

Yes. Families with a case in the local court can use the New York City Family Court Custody/Visitation Mediation Program. What it offers, and the official link, are in the family court programs section above.

Where can parents in New York City get free help with a family court case?

Free court help for parents without a lawyer includes New York County Family Court Help Center, Kings County Family Court Help Center, Queens County Family Court Help Center, Bronx County Family Court Help Center and Richmond County Family Court Help Center. Free legal aid: Legal Services NYC. 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 New York City?

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. Families with a case in the local court can ask about the New York City Family Court Custody/Visitation Mediation Program.

What does an attorney for the child do in a New York City custody case?

New York courts appoint an attorney for the child, a lawyer who speaks for the child in Family Court and Supreme Court custody cases. In most cases the lawyer follows the child's own wishes, with narrow exceptions. You may also see "AFC" and "law guardian". The rule is in N.Y. Family Court Act § 249. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in New York?

Custody mediation in New York is voluntary. A judge or referee can refer a case, and either parent can ask for a referral. Cases are screened first to make sure mediation is a good fit.

Does New York use parenting coordinators?

There is no New York statute for parenting coordinators. Courts may appoint one to help parents carry out an existing parenting plan, but the court cannot hand the coordinator the power to decide what is best for the children.

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

There is no automatic statewide class requirement. A judge in a divorce, custody or visitation case may order parents to attend an approved PEAP class, and the two parents attend separate sessions.