Using Technology to Find Answers to Common Child Custody Problems and Keep the Peace While Co-parenting
| Author | Shelly M. Ingram |
| Pages | 21-24 |
SUMMER 2021 21
nicate online with messages that push to your cell phone.
Once a communication or event is added to the site, it is
time stamped and can’t be edited or deleted. Your lawyer and
other professionals can be granted access to Our Family
Wizard communication logs. When disputes arise over who
said what to whom, or when, there is an accurate record that
can be exhibited in a child custody motion or otherwise
presented to your parent-coordinator, family therapist, or the
court. ere is a fee for use of Our Family Wizard, but most
parents consider the cost worthwhile. For parents who are
unable to aord the annual subscription fee, there is a fee
waiver available.
2houses is another web-based option that has an app that
can be accessed on your mobile devices. 2houses allows
parents to arrange schedules, record expenses, and exchange
funds, as well as share information that is required to
improve shared decision-making. Like Our Family Wizard,
2houses records communication between you and your
ex-partner and the communications cannot be deleted. e
app’s purpose is to streamline things for co-parents and keep
families out of court, all the while providing a cohesive data
source when litigation is the only option.
Warning 1: Preserve Text Messages
If the hostile messages have already begun, and you haven’t
been using a separate communication platform, there are
programs available to help preserve your text history in a way
your lawyer can take to court. Each state has rules that control
what evidence can be admitted. Frequently, screenshots of
After a divorce, or the end of a romantic
relationship, communication with your
ex-partner and co-parent has to change. Old
ways of communicating with your ex may be
ineective, inappropriate, or just plain painful.
Now, you need to treat the person you once loved or were
intimate with as a business partner, working together in the
joint venture of raising your children.
Technology can help bridge the gap caused by hard
feelings, help you manage the practical aspects of co-parent-
ing, and keep you close to your children even during the
other parent’s time. In fact, strategic use of the right technol-
ogy can even give you an edge if your child custody case ends
up in court, or back in court in the event of a modication.
PROBLEM: What Is the Best Way to Communicate
with a Combative Ex-spouse?
Contested child custody issues can strain your ability to
communicate with your ex or hinder your communication
altogether. However, even after your romantic relationship
has subsided, you will need to communicate with your
co-parent about everything from parenting time exchanges to
holiday gifts. When one or both parents become combative,
parents and family courts often turn to technology to help.
ANSWER: Custody-Related Messagi ng Apps
Our Family Wizard has been around for a while and has
frequently been recommended, and sometimes required, by
courts. e website and mobile app allow parents to commu-
Using
Technology
to Find Answers to
Common Child
Custody Problems
and Keep the Peace
While Co-parenting
BY SHELLY M. INGRAM
Published in Family Advocate, Volume 44, Number 1, Summer 2021. © 2021 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof
may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.
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