Tools for Seattle Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Seattle 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 Seattle who end up in the King County Superior Court, Family Law 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 Seattle.

Washington uses its own words, "parenting plan" where many states say custody and "residential schedule" where they say visitation, and the tools follow Washington's terms so the papers parents bring you read the way the court reads them.

Area covered: King County.

Court for custody cases: King County Superior Court, Family Law.

Appointed for the child: Guardian ad litem.

Custody mediation: Depends on the county or judge.

Parenting class: Depends on the county or judge.

State family law: Revised Code of Washington Title 26 - Domestic Relations.

What Washington calls custody: parenting plan.

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 Seattle

In Washington, 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 Seattle

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

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

Sessions in Seattle 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 Seattle

Custody cases in Seattle are heard in the King County Superior Court, Family Law. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

E-filing through the Clerk's portal is standard in King County.

King County Family Court Services, Parenting Plan Mediation: Court mediation for parents who disagree about their parenting plan or residential time. A date is set after both parents finish the What About the Children seminar and return their forms. Fees use a sliding scale based on income.

What About the Children parenting seminar (King County LFLR 13): King County's local family law rule requires both parents in custody, divorce and parentage cases with minor children to complete an approved parenting seminar within 60 days after the other side is served. The same rule requires some form of dispute resolution in parenting plan disputes unless waived.

King County Family Court Services: The court's family services office, which runs parenting plan mediation and related services for King County cases.

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

King: King County Family Law Facilitators, (206) 263-3542. Free walk-in help at two courthouses with family law forms and procedure for people without a lawyer.

King legal aid: Northwest Justice Project, (888) 201-1014.

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 Seattle?

King County Superior Court hears divorce, custody, parenting plan and adoption cases for Seattle and the rest of King County.

Is there a court mediation program in Seattle?

Yes. Families with a case in the local court can use the King County Family Court Services, Parenting Plan Mediation. What it offers, and the official link, are in the family court programs section above.

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

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: King County Family Law Facilitators. Free legal aid: Northwest Justice Project. 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 Seattle?

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 King County Family Court Services, Parenting Plan Mediation.

What does a guardian ad litem do in a Seattle custody case?

In a parenting plan case, the court can appoint a guardian ad litem to look into the family's situation and report facts to the court. The guardian ad litem always represents the child's best interests and reports any preference the child shares. The court decides who pays, based on each parent's ability to pay. You may also see "GAL" and "court-appointed special advocate". The rule is in RCW 26.12.175; RCW 26.09.220. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Washington?

State law lets a court send contested parenting issues to mediation before or alongside the hearing. Each superior court may offer a mediator, and some counties require it by local rule.

Do parents in Washington have to take a parenting class?

State law lets courts require both parents in a parenting plan case to complete an approved parenting seminar. Parents do not have to attend together. The court must waive it or offer another option when there is domestic violence or abuse. Counties set their own rules.