Parenting Coordination — Co-Parenting That Works, Even When the Parents Can’t

When two parents are locked in constant conflict, the children live in the crossfire, and the court can’t referee daily life. A parenting coordinator changes that: a neutral, court-appointed professional who keeps both parents functioning, resolves the day-to-day disputes, and keeps the children out of the middle.

Rice Law offers certified parenting-coordination services. Mark Spencer Williams is a Certified Parenting Coordinator on the approved list for New Hanover and Pender (6th District); Onslow, Jones, Sampson, and Duplin (5th District); Bladen, Brunswick, and Columbus Counties (15th District); and Hoke and Moore (29th District). We typically serve virtually, which keeps the role efficient and accessible across that footprint.

What a Parenting Coordinator Is

A parenting coordinator is an impartial professional, appointed by the court and granted specific powers and responsibilities by its order, who helps high-conflict parents solve problems involving their children and improve how they co-parent. Courts appoint a PC in high-conflict custody cases — those marked by a pattern of any of the following:

• excessive litigation;
• anger and distrust between the parties;
• verbal abuse;
• physical aggression and threats of physical aggression; and
• difficulty communicating about the minor children.

Neutral — and Empowered to Decide

This is the heart of the role, and the line we walk with care. As your parenting coordinator, we are impartial: we represent neither parent, advise neither, and never take a side. But a PC is not a mediator. Where a mediator only facilitates and decides nothing, the court’s order empowers a PC to decide the day-to-day disputes within it. We use that authority evenly, for the children — never for one parent over the other. We are also not anyone’s lawyer, so each parent keeps their own counsel for legal advice; and we cannot serve as PC in any case where our firm has represented a parent.

How a Parenting Coordinator Helps

When parents have difficulty co-parenting, a PC helps them resolve disputes and build better habits — which protects the children and spares everyone the expense of going back and forth to court over small issues.

Not an Alternative to Court

No. A parenting coordinator supplements the court; it does not replace it. You still need an attorney and a court order establishing child custody and child support. The PC works inside that order to make it function day to day.

Not Confidential Like Mediation

One distinction to know up front: a parenting coordinator reports to the court. Unlike mediation, parenting coordination is not confidential — what you tell the PC is not privileged. We say so plainly, so no one is surprised.

What a Parenting Coordinator Can Address

Parenting coordinators are governed by North Carolina General Statute § 50-90 et seq. and by the rules of the order appointing the PC. Within that order, a PC’s authority generally covers issues such as:

• Matters that will aid the parties in complying with the court’s custody order
• Resolving disputes regarding issues not specifically addressed in the custody order, or ambiguous or conflicting terms in it
• Transition time, pickup, or delivery
• Sharing of vacations and holidays
• Method of pickup and delivery
• Transportation to and from visitation
• Participation in child care, daycare, and babysitting
• Bedtime
• Diet
• Clothing
• Recreation
• Before- and after-school activities
• Extracurricular activities
• Discipline
• Healthcare management
• Alterations in schedule that do not substantially interfere with the basic time-share agreement
• Participation in visitation, including significant others or relatives
• Telephone contact
• Alterations to appearance, including tattoos or piercings
• The child’s passport
• Education
• Other areas of specific authority as designated by the court or the parties

How We Work

We usually meet with the parties virtually to fulfill our parenting-coordinator role.

Contact Us

If you need a qualified parenting coordinator for a North Carolina family-law matter, Rice Law can help. We first run a conflicts check and receive a court appointment. Call (910) 762-3854 or contact us for more information.