Tools for Dallas Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Dallas 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 Dallas who end up in the Dallas County family district courts 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 Dallas.

Texas uses its own words, "conservatorship" where many states say custody and "possession and access" where they say visitation, and the tools follow Texas's terms so the papers parents bring you read the way the court reads them.

Area covered: Dallas County.

Court for custody cases: Dallas County family district courts.

Appointed for the child: Amicus attorney.

Custody mediation: Often ordered by the judge.

Parenting coordinators: Set by state law or court rule (Tex. Fam. Code ch. 153, subch. K).

Parenting class: Depends on the county or judge (parent education and family stabilization course).

State family law: Texas Family Code.

What Texas calls custody: conservatorship.

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 amicus attorneys and guardians ad litem in Dallas

In Texas, the court can appoint an amicus attorney 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 amicus attorney in Dallas.

For therapists and counselors in Dallas

Court-involved and reunification therapists, co-parenting counselors, and custody evaluators in Dallas 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, parenting coordinators and parenting facilitators in Dallas

In Texas, custody mediation is often ordered by the judge. Parenting coordinators are set by state law or court rule (Tex. Fam. Code ch. 153, subch. K). The details are in the FAQ below.

Sessions in Dallas 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 Dallas

Custody cases in Dallas are heard in the Dallas County family district courts. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

Dallas County Domestic Relations Office, Family Court Services: The courts can order Family Court Services to handle mediation and custody evaluations in family cases.

Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center: A free county program with volunteer mediators. Family courts may refer custody and support cases when parties cannot afford private mediation.

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

Dallas: TexasCourtHelp.org. Helps Texans without a lawyer find court forms, understand court steps, and find free or low-cost legal help.

Dallas legal aid: Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, (888) 529-5277.

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 Dallas?

Divorce and custody cases in Dallas County are heard by seven family district courts: the 254th, 255th, 256th, 301st, 302nd, 303rd and 330th.

Is there a court mediation program in Dallas?

Yes. Families with a case in the local court can use the Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center. What it offers, and the official link, are in the family court programs section above.

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: TexasCourtHelp.org. Free legal aid: Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. 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 Dallas?

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 Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center.

What does an amicus attorney do in a Dallas custody case?

Texas uses three court-appointed roles for children. An amicus attorney helps the court protect the child's best interests, an attorney ad litem is the child's own lawyer, and a guardian ad litem is usually a non-lawyer who looks into what is best for the child. You may also see "attorney ad litem" and "guardian ad litem". The rule is in Tex. Fam. Code ch. 107 (sec. 107.001 definitions). This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Texas?

A Texas judge may send a custody case to mediation on the court's own motion or when both parties agree. A parent may object because of family violence, and the court must then decide whether mediation is safe.

Does Texas use parenting coordinators?

Texas law lets a court appoint a parenting coordinator or a parenting facilitator to help parents settle parenting disputes. A coordinator's process is confidential. A facilitator's process is not, and a facilitator may also check whether parents follow the court order.

Do parents in Texas have to take a parenting class?

State law lets a court order parents to take a parent education and family stabilization course of 4 to 12 hours. Whether it is required depends on the county and the judge.