Tools for Augusta Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Augusta 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 Augusta who end up in the Superior Court of the Augusta Judicial Circuit 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 Augusta.

Area covered: Richmond and Columbia Counties.

Court for custody cases: Superior Court of the Augusta Judicial Circuit (Richmond County).

Appointed for the child: Guardian ad litem.

Custody mediation: Depends on the county or judge (court-connected ADR programs).

State family law: Georgia Code Title 19 - Domestic Relations.

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 guardians ad litem in Augusta

In Georgia, the court can appoint a guardian ad litem 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.

For therapists and counselors in Augusta

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

In Georgia, custody mediation is set county by county. The details are in the FAQ below.

Sessions in Augusta 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.

Family court programs in Augusta

Custody cases in Augusta are heard in the Superior Court of the Augusta Judicial Circuit. The wider area takes in Richmond and Columbia counties, and a case is heard by the court for the county where it is filed. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

This county accepts both eFileGA and PeachCourt filings.

Augusta Judicial Circuit ADR Program: The circuit's court mediation program handles domestic relations cases such as divorce, custody and visitation changes. Parents complete a domestic violence screening and then pick a mediator from the program's list.

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

Richmond: Georgia Courts Self-Help Resources. Georgia court system's hub of self-help guides, forms and law library links for people handling their own case.

Richmond legal aid: Georgia Legal Services Program, (833) 457-7529.

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 Augusta?

The Superior Court for the Augusta Judicial Circuit serves Richmond and Burke counties and hears divorce and custody cases in Augusta.

Is there a court mediation program in Augusta?

Yes. Families with a case in the local court can use the Augusta Judicial Circuit ADR Program. What it offers, and the official link, are in the family court programs section above.

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: Georgia Courts Self-Help Resources. Free legal aid: Georgia Legal Services Program. 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 Augusta?

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 Augusta Judicial Circuit ADR Program.

What does a guardian ad litem do in an Augusta custody case?

In Georgia divorce and custody cases, the superior court judge can appoint a guardian ad litem to look into the family's situation and help the court decide what is best for the child. You may also see "GAL". The rule is in Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.9. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Georgia?

Georgia's superior courts run their own mediation programs, judicial circuit by circuit, under statewide rules of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Many circuits require parents in contested custody cases to try mediation before a final hearing, with separate rules when domestic violence is alleged.