Parent coordination is a specialized process designed to assist parents who are separated or divorced in managing their ongoing parenting responsibilities. It focuses on minimizing conflict and promoting a stable environment for children.
This is a newer, now binding, program by which a Court can appoint a parenting coordinator pursuant to Rule 5:8d, who makes decisions to decide conflicts over non-central parenting disputes. Such conflicts can include but are not limited to: transportation issues, childcare arrangements, minor or temporary alterations of parenting time schedules (such as holiday disputes), summer vacation dates, travel and passport issues, referral to other professionals, information disputes, child disciplinary disputes, non-permanent changes in a child’s appearance (haircuts, etc.) and other issues.
The decision of the Parenting Coordinator can be an immediate and binding resolution to conflicts that require speedy resolution (unless one party petitions the Court).