Tools for Rapid City Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Rapid City 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 Rapid City who end up in the Seventh Judicial Circuit 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 a guardian ad litem, therapist, or mediator, and what to know about family court in Rapid City.

Area covered: Pennington County.

Court for custody cases: Seventh Judicial Circuit Court (Pennington County).

Appointed for the child: Counsel for the child.

Custody mediation: Usually required in custody disputes.

Parenting coordinators: Set by state law or court rule.

Parenting class: Required statewide.

State family law: South Dakota Codified Laws Title 25 - 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 counsel for the childs and guardians ad litem in Rapid City

In South Dakota, the court can appoint a counsel 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 a counsel for the child in Rapid City.

For therapists and counselors in Rapid City

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

In South Dakota, custody mediation is usually required when parents disagree about custody. Parenting coordinators are set by state law or court rule. The details are in the FAQ below.

Sessions in Rapid 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 in Rapid City: what to know

Custody cases in Rapid City are heard in the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court.

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

Pennington: South Dakota UJS Self-Help, (855) 784-0004. Free state court forms, instructions, and a form-help phone line for South Dakotans filing their own case.

Pennington legal aid: Dakota Plains Legal Services, (605) 856-4444.

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 Rapid City?

The Seventh Judicial Circuit Court serves Pennington, Custer, Fall River and Oglala Lakota counties. Its administration office is in the Pennington County Courthouse in Rapid City.

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: South Dakota UJS Self-Help. Free legal aid: Dakota Plains 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 Rapid 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.

What does a counsel for the child do in a Rapid City custody case?

In a divorce or custody case, the court may appoint a lawyer for the child when abuse or neglect is alleged, or when a parent asks and the court finds it is in the child's best interest. This lawyer represents the child's best interests and cannot represent anyone else in the case, and the parents pay the cost as the court decides. You may also see "court-appointed attorney for the child". The rule is in SDCL 25-4-45.4. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in South Dakota?

In custody or visitation disputes between parents, the court must order mediation unless it finds mediation is not appropriate for the case. Mediation is not ordered if a parent has been convicted of domestic abuse or if mediation is not readily available, and the court divides the cost between the parents.

Does South Dakota use parenting coordinators?

South Dakota courts use parenting coordinators in custody cases. A parenting coordinator must be a licensed attorney, psychologist, social worker, family therapist or other qualified professional and must complete set training in parenting coordination and domestic violence.

Do parents in South Dakota have to take a parenting class?

Parents in any case involving custody or parenting time must take a class about how the case affects their children. The class covers co-parenting, children's needs and ways to settle disputes.