Tools for Philadelphia Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia move through the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Family Division, First Judicial District, 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: Philadelphia County.

Court for custody cases: Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Family Division (Domestic Relations Branch), First Judicial District.

Appointed for the child: Guardian ad litem.

Custody mediation: Depends on the county or judge.

Parenting coordinators: Set by state law or court rule (Pa.R.C.P. 1915.11-1).

Parenting class: Depends on the county or judge.

State family law: Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 - Domestic Relations.

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 Philadelphia

In Pennsylvania, 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 Philadelphia

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

In Pennsylvania, custody mediation is set county by county. Parenting coordinators are set by state law or court rule (Pa.R.C.P. 1915.11-1). 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 Philadelphia. 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 Philadelphia

Custody cases in Philadelphia are heard in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Family Division, First Judicial District. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

The court's e-filing system is offline for a relaunch (checked June 2026). Watch the court website for the new system, or file on paper with the Office of Judicial Records.

Philadelphia Family Court Custody Mediation: Family Court offers custody mediation with trained mediators. A mediation orientation can be required when a parent files to modify a custody order.

Family Division Approved Parenting Coordinators: The Domestic Relations branch posts its list of approved parenting coordinators for Philadelphia County.

Philadelphia Family Court Help Center: Help center for parents filing without a lawyer in Philadelphia Family Court.

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

Philadelphia: Family Court Help Center, (215) 686-3805. Help desk for parents without a lawyer handling a custody or divorce case in Philadelphia Family Court.

Philadelphia legal aid: Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center, (215) 981-3800.

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 Philadelphia?

Philadelphia Family Court hears custody, divorce, support and protection from abuse cases. Custody filings go to the Clerk of Family Court, and cases usually start with a conference before a custody hearing officer.

Is there a court mediation program in Philadelphia?

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

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: Family Court Help Center. Free legal aid: Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center. 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 Philadelphia?

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 Philadelphia Family Court Custody Mediation.

What does a guardian ad litem do in a Philadelphia custody case?

In a custody case the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to look into the facts and speak for the child's best interests, including a written report to the court. The court may also appoint counsel for the child to represent the child's legal interests, and substantial claims of abuse are a reason to do so. You may also see "counsel for the child" and "GAL". The rule is in 23 Pa.C.S. § 5334 (guardian ad litem); 23 Pa.C.S. § 5335 (counsel for child). This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Pennsylvania?

Statewide rules let a court order parents to a mediation orientation session, and mediation itself goes forward with the parents' consent. Each county runs its own program. Orientation may not be ordered where there has been domestic violence or child abuse within the 24 months before filing or while the case is open.

Does Pennsylvania use parenting coordinators?

After a final custody order, a judge may appoint a parenting coordinator in high conflict cases to help parents settle day to day disputes and recommend a resolution to the court if they cannot agree. Counties that run a program keep a roster. A parenting coordinator must be a Pennsylvania licensed attorney or a mental health professional with at least a master's degree and five years of experience.

Do parents in Pennsylvania have to take a parenting class?

There is no single statewide parenting class. State law lets courts direct parents to attend informational programs, and many counties require a co-parenting class when a custody case is filed.