On Behalf of The Law Office of Carrie M. Wilcox | Apr 12, 2021 | Child Custody
The research into the impact that divorce has on kids is never-ending. Lawmakers remain abreast of their findings and allow these psychological insights to shape new custody approaches when drafting and enacting new laws.
Many child psychologists have realized that it’s best when children spend equal time with both parents. An increasing number of family law judges now are more apt to award parents joint legal decision-making and parenting time. This increased focus on co-parenting has helped courts identify better ways to facilitate positive communication between co-parents. There’s also been an uptick in the emergence of phone apps aimed at helping parents communicate more effectively.
How do these phone apps help with co-parenting?
Parents used to communicate via phone calls, email or texts that they could easily manipulate or discard before the emergence of co-parenting phone apps. There was often a lot of misinformation or inflammatory communication exchanges between parents before the emergence of these apps.
A 2019 estimate indicates 70% of courts have required parents to use these co-parenting apps. An increasing number of Arizona family law judges are asking parents to use these apps to communicate with one another. They allow the court to track parents’ locations and read any conversations between parents within the apps should they wish to do so. Some judges do use the information exchanged within the app as the grounds for ordering legal decision-making and parenting time modifications in a case.
Moms and dads tend to be more careful about what they say to one another now that these apps are more widely used, thus minimizing contentious courtroom battles and freeing up judges to hear more pressing matters.
How can you handle unresolved co-parenting issues with your ex?
Parents often struggle to come to terms with their co-parenting arrangement in the immediate aftermath of their breakup. Things may also become contentious between them as relationship statuses or life circumstances change.
You may need to consult with an attorney to broker an agreement if you and your ex are having a hard time staying on the same page with one another. If a custody modification is warranted, your attorney can guide you through the process.