Whether it's helping parents document their shared parenting agreement or trying to resolve past co-parenting issues, TalkingParents is an essential part of any court professional's toolset. You play a major role guiding families through one of hardest transitional times in their lives, and we're here to help you through that journey.
Manage high-conflict situations
Parents may simply agree to use TalkingParents, or a court can order parents to communicate exclusively through our service. With all interactions on the record, behaviors that can often lead to confrontational situations may be dissuaded.
Empower parents
With a focus on parent privacy and accountability, our service provides the support that co-parents need to manage most aspects of their custody situations without involving an attorney. Should legal intervention be necessary, court professionals can rest assured TalkingParents is here to help.
Provide structure
TalkingParents provides a single platform for all parenting activities. This keeps co-parents from having to utilize several different platforms in order to access the many tools they need. Parents are able to coordinate schedules, document expenses and payments, and have recorded discussions all in one place. With a single, complete record available to all parties, there's never a question of who said what, when.
Reduce court visits and financial burden
Our service has traditionally been a tool for use in divorce, paternity, and other child custody related actions but it can be an invaluable resource any time domestic violence or other criminal charges involve parents. It is a great way to monitor communications between parents without revealing personal contact information or physical location in cases of restraining orders or limited contact.
Get a court order
There is no right or wrong way for a court to use TalkingParents. The language below is purely for example purposes. You are welcome to use it verbatim or copy and paste, but feel free to create your own unique orders to suit your specific needs.
Mandatory and exclusive use of TalkingParents may be necessary for cases involving parents who keep coming back to court because they simply cannot communicate effectively. Such use could be incorporated into just about any order of the court regarding a divorce, paternity, or other child-custody related action. For example:
The Court, finding that both parties have adequate access to the internet for said purposes, orders the following:
Due to ineffective, vitriolic, or otherwise poor communication between the parties, the Court orders both parties to go to www.TalkingParents.com and create an account within ___ days of this order.
Communication between the parties will be limited to matters regarding their child(ren) and will be made only through the TalkingParents service. Any communication or attempted communication by either party, or by a third party at either party’s request, outside of TalkingParents will be contemptible and may result in sanctions including but not limited to incarceration.
The only exception to this condition would be in the event of a medical emergency regarding the child(ren) in which case either party may contact the other via other means to notify them of such an emergency. Any agreements reached regarding the child(ren) as a result of such emergency-related communication must be clarified, verified, and documented through TalkingParents in a timely manner.
If the parties are already using the TalkingParents service then they will continue to do so pursuant to the terms above.
The Court may also want to limit what evidence will be admissible in future proceedings. For example:
In all future court proceedings related to the shared-parenting agreement, the only admissible evidence regarding communication between the parties will be limited to the record maintained by TalkingParents.
The only situation where other evidence of communication between the parties will be admissible is when the evidence relates directly to a medical emergency and the communications regarding that emergency.
When parents get along well enough to discuss matters on their own, or even when parents get along great, it is still a good idea for them to keep a permanent log of all important decisions and disputes regarding their child(ren). TalkingParents can be utilized from the very beginning to hopefully keep parents from coming back to court as often and to make whatever litigation does occur a little more efficient. In these situations courts can simply recommend TalkingParents, or the Court can require parents to use it on a limited basis, for example:
The Court, finding that both parties have adequate access to the internet for said purposes, orders the following:
In the interest of promoting effective and efficient communication between the parties, and in the interest of maintaining a good record of all decisions regarding the parties’ child(ren), the Court orders both parents to go to www.TalkingParents and create an account within ___ days of this order.
While the Court places no restrictions on how, when, or where the parties may communicate with each other, the Court does require both parties to clarify, verify, and document all important decisions regarding their child(ren) through the TalkingParents service.
To make such an order more meaningful, the Court may consider adding a provision such as this:
In the event of a disagreement between the parties related to a decision regarding their child(ren), the burden will be on the moving or petitioning party to show that the decision in question was documented through the TalkingParents service in a timely manner after it was discussed by the parties. If the matter was not documented through the TalkingParents service in a timely manner, then, absent exigent or extraordinary circumstances, the moving or petitioning party will be barred from making any claim or seeking any relief related to the undocumented issue.
For example: If Party A and Party B agree on their own that Child will learn to play the guitar and that the parties will split the cost of the instrument and lessons equally, then it will be incumbent on both parties to document said decision through TalkingParents.
If Party A then purchases the instrument and lessons, and provides notice to Party B for reimbursement for half of the expenses, but Party B refuses to pay and claims that they did not have an agreement, then Party A will only be able to seek relief in court if the details of the agreement were documented through TalkingParents in a timely manner after the agreement was reached, thus giving Party B an opportunity to clarify their position.
The purpose of this provision is to encourage effective communication between the parties and to avoid future litigation. A further purpose is to make any litigation that does occur more efficient.
If the parties are already using the TalkingParents service then they will continue to do so pursuant to the terms above.
There is no right or wrong way for a court to use TalkingParents. The language below is purely for example purposes. You are welcome to use it verbatim or copy and paste, but feel free to create your own unique orders to suit your specific needs.
Mandatory and exclusive use of TalkingParents may be necessary for cases involving parents who keep coming back to court because they simply cannot communicate effectively. Such use could be incorporated into just about any order of the court regarding a divorce, paternity, or other child-custody related action. For example:
The Court, finding that both parties have adequate access to the internet for said purposes, orders the following:
Due to ineffective, vitriolic, or otherwise poor communication between the parties, the Court orders both parties to go to www.TalkingParents.com and create an account within ___ days of this order.
Communication between the parties will be limited to matters regarding their child(ren) and will be made only through the TalkingParents service. Any communication or attempted communication by either party, or by a third party at either party’s request, outside of TalkingParents will be contemptible and may result in sanctions including but not limited to incarceration.
The only exception to this condition would be in the event of a medical emergency regarding the child(ren) in which case either party may contact the other via other means to notify them of such an emergency. Any agreements reached regarding the child(ren) as a result of such emergency-related communication must be clarified, verified, and documented through TalkingParents in a timely manner.
If the parties are already using the TalkingParents service then they will continue to do so pursuant to the terms above.
The Court may also want to limit what evidence will be admissible in future proceedings. For example:
In all future court proceedings related to the shared-parenting agreement, the only admissible evidence regarding communication between the parties will be limited to the record maintained by TalkingParents.
The only situation where other evidence of communication between the parties will be admissible is when the evidence relates directly to a medical emergency and the communications regarding that emergency.
When parents get along well enough to discuss matters on their own, or even when parents get along great, it is still a good idea for them to keep a permanent log of all important decisions and disputes regarding their child(ren). TalkingParents can be utilized from the very beginning to hopefully keep parents from coming back to court as often and to make whatever litigation does occur a little more efficient. In these situations courts can simply recommend TalkingParents, or the Court can require parents to use it on a limited basis, for example:
The Court, finding that both parties have adequate access to the internet for said purposes, orders the following:
In the interest of promoting effective and efficient communication between the parties, and in the interest of maintaining a good record of all decisions regarding the parties’ child(ren), the Court orders both parents to go to www.TalkingParents and create an account within ___ days of this order.
While the Court places no restrictions on how, when, or where the parties may communicate with each other, the Court does require both parties to clarify, verify, and document all important decisions regarding their child(ren) through the TalkingParents service.
To make such an order more meaningful, the Court may consider adding a provision such as this:
In the event of a disagreement between the parties related to a decision regarding their child(ren), the burden will be on the moving or petitioning party to show that the decision in question was documented through the TalkingParents service in a timely manner after it was discussed by the parties. If the matter was not documented through the TalkingParents service in a timely manner, then, absent exigent or extraordinary circumstances, the moving or petitioning party will be barred from making any claim or seeking any relief related to the undocumented issue.
For example: If Party A and Party B agree on their own that Child will learn to play the guitar and that the parties will split the cost of the instrument and lessons equally, then it will be incumbent on both parties to document said decision through TalkingParents.
If Party A then purchases the instrument and lessons, and provides notice to Party B for reimbursement for half of the expenses, but Party B refuses to pay and claims that they did not have an agreement, then Party A will only be able to seek relief in court if the details of the agreement were documented through TalkingParents in a timely manner after the agreement was reached, thus giving Party B an opportunity to clarify their position.
The purpose of this provision is to encourage effective communication between the parties and to avoid future litigation. A further purpose is to make any litigation that does occur more efficient.
If the parties are already using the TalkingParents service then they will continue to do so pursuant to the terms above.
Keep children protected
When working with families going through a separated parenting situation, court recommendations are always made with the best interests of the children in mind. TalkingParents not only promotes positive communication, it protects children from conflict and the stress of being made to play the role of go-between for parents.
Safeguard children from conflict
Phone calls, texts, and other common communication methods typically do not protect children from conflict between their parents. When held accountable for the way they communicate, what is being said and how it is said, heated exchanges are typically less frequent. Heavy conflict can drastically affect children and take a toll on their physical and mental well-being.
Secure, single location
With a secure login and single location to document all parenting activities, parents don't have to worry about their child coming across a negative text or being exposed to matters that should be between co-parents.
Unalterable Records
PDF and Printed Records
All PDF and Printed Records include a business record certification and unique authentication code. Printed Records can be ordered with a signed and notarized certification, and can be shipped directly to any address in the United States. PDF Records contain a Digital Signature that ensures it has not been digitally modified in any way. If a file is tampered with, the Digital Signature will document any changes made. The 16-digit Authentication Code is used to verify any record as genuine by referencing this unique identifier. Court professionals can rest assured that these documents are complete and unaltered making them admissible in court.
How to obtain
Parents with a Premium or Standard Plan have unlimited access to PDF records. Parents with a Free Plan can obtain copies of their Unalterable Record in PDF format anytime for $49.99 USD. This one-time price gives parents 24 hours of unlimited access to records, which can easily be downloaded, printed, or forwarded via email. Parents can email electronic copies of their record directly from our site or order a printed, securely bound, and certified record from us. Pricing includes shipping via priority mail. Printed Records are $29.99 + $0.19 per page for Premium Plans, $39.99 + $0.19 per page for Standard Plans, and $119.99 + $0.19 per page for Free Plans.
Subpoena
Typically there is no need to subpoena TalkingParents for a record. The TalkingParents co-parent in your case can obtain their Unalterable Record and provide it to you directly. If a parent obtains a copy of their record, lawyers can lay the foundation for the record similar to copies of emails or social media messages by asking the user what it is and how they obtained it.
If a subpoena is necessary for your circumstances, you must submit it through our Subpoena Submission Process.