Are you a Minnesotan who’s struggling with parenting disputes that never seem to end? These conflicts can create stress for both you and your children if they are not addressed quickly. A parenting consultant can help you find constructive ways to resolve disagreements and avoid repeated court hearings.
Janet L. Goehle, Attorney at Law, is both an experienced Minnesota custody attorney and a seasoned parenting consultant. She has decades of family law knowledge and extensive training in alternative dispute resolution. This background allows her to guide parents through conflicts with clarity and structure.
Contact Janet L. Goehle, Attorney at Law, today to arrange your free initial consultation and learn how we can help your family move forward.
Alternative Dispute Resolution in Custody Cases
Custody and parenting disputes are among the most stressful and time-consuming parts of many family law cases. They can also take up significant time in court. This is why Minnesota law encourages parents to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods before taking their cases to trial.
ADR methods give parents opportunities to work with neutral third parties who guide discussions and address disagreements in structured settings. This approach can reduce stress and costs while giving parents more control over the decisions that will affect their children. ADR is especially useful in custody cases because it allows parents to focus on practical solutions instead of drawn-out battles.
Parenting consultants, parenting time expediters, and mediators are examples of ADR professionals who assist families in these situations. While the roles of these professionals differ, all share the goal of helping parents resolve disputes without contentious court hearings.
What Is a Parenting Consultant?
A parenting consultant (PC) is a neutral professional who helps parents resolve disagreements about custody and parenting time. Parents may hire PCs during or after a divorce, legal separation, or paternity case. The PC listens to both sides, encourages compromise, and offers informed recommendations.
A court order or contract typically defines the PC’s role and the authority they have over a case, although courts may only appoint a PC if both parents agree to it. In some cases, parents agree to give consultants limited decision-making powers on recurring issues like school schedules, medical care, or extracurricular activities. Parenting consultants aim to reduce repeated trips to court by addressing conflicts as they arise. They can also testify in legal proceedings if requested.
Families often choose to work with parenting consultants because doing so allows for quicker resolutions, ongoing guidance, and better results.
What Is a Parenting Time Expediter?
Parenting consultants and parenting time expediters both assist parents with disputes, but their roles differ. A parenting consultant’s authority depends on the agreement between the parents and the consultant, as approved in a court order. The PC’s powers vary from case to case and can range from offering opinions to making limited decisions.
In contrast, a parenting time expediter (PTE) operates under Minnesota statute and always has the authority to make binding decisions if parents cannot agree on parenting time issues. By law, expediters must first try to help parents reach voluntary agreements. If that fails, the expediter issues a decision that parents must follow, subject to court review.
Court Appointments vs. Voluntary Agreements
Parents can involve others in their custody cases in two ways: by agreement or by court appointment. In a voluntary agreement, both parents decide to use a consultant and outline the scope of the consultant’s authority in a written contract and stipulation filed with the court. This allows the parents to choose the consultant and define how they will handle disputes during the ADR process.
In cases involving court appointments, a judge names a PTE if the parents cannot agree or if the court finds that oversight is necessary for ongoing conflicts. The court’s order specifies the expediter’s authority and responsibilities.
Voluntary agreements usually allow for more flexibility and cooperation, while court appointments provide needed structure if cooperation is difficult or impossible. In either situation, the consultant or expediter serves as a neutral guide for managing disputes.
How Parenting Consultants Help Families
Parenting consultants can help parents address a wide range of disputes, some of which continue to pose problems even after custody orders are in place. Common issues include disagreements over school choices, medical care, extracurricular activities, holiday schedules, and communication methods. PCs can also help parents resolve disputes about transportation, pick-up and drop-off times, and decisions that affect a child’s daily routine.
Consultants offer a structured process for discussion to reduce conflict and help parents focus on practical solutions. If parents disagree on how to interpret a court order or parenting plan, a PC can guide them toward a resolution so they can avoid returning to court.
Families work with PCs to manage both routine and unexpected issues as they arise. The support these consultants provide can reduce stress on parents and promote more consistency for children, who benefit from timely solutions instead of long delays and court feuds.
Limits on a Parenting Consultant’s Authority
The authority of a PC has clear limits. A consultant cannot grant or revoke custody, modify parenting time arrangements, or make binding decisions unless a court order or agreement specifically grants them that power. They do not have the same statutory authority as parenting time expediters, who can issue binding rulings on parenting time disputes. This means that if parents cannot resolve a dispute, the matter could still return to court.
A parenting consultant’s role is to help parents work through custody conflicts, not to replace a judge. Parents should understand these limits at the outset so they know when the consultant can step in and when court involvement might be necessary to resolve more substantial custody issues.
The Advantages of Using a Parenting Consultant
Families often choose to work with parenting consultants because doing so offers several benefits that aren’t available in court hearings. For one, consultants provide quicker responses to disputes, which can help parents make timelier decisions for their children. The ADR process is generally less expensive than litigation, so it can save families both money and stress. It also allows parents to maintain more control over resolutions rather than relying on judges unfamiliar with the details of their daily lives.
A PC can help parents work through recurring disagreements in a consistent way, which promotes stability for children. The ongoing availability of a consultant can also prevent conflicts from escalating. The ADR process reduces the need for court appearances, encourages cooperation, and creates a consistent environment in which parents can focus on raising their children. For many families, this practical approach results in smoother co-parenting and better long-term outcomes.
Janet L. Goehle’s Experience
Janet L. Goehle, Attorney at Law, has built her career around helping families resolve difficult custody and parenting disputes in Minnesota. As a parenting consultant, she draws on her years of experience as a family law attorney to guide parents through even the most challenging conflicts.
Janet’s work as a PC includes helping parents address issues that continue after court orders are in place, such as disagreements over scheduling, school choice, and communication. She also has training as a mediator and parenting time expediter, which allows her to take a well-rounded approach to alternative dispute resolution.
Lawyers throughout Minnesota trust Janet to serve as a neutral party in contested cases because she combines considerable legal skill with a practical understanding of family dynamics. Her role as a parenting consultant reflects her ongoing commitment to giving parents effective tools for reducing conflict and creating more stable arrangements that support their children’s well-being.
Contact a Minnesota Parenting Consultant Attorney
Parenting disputes can feel overwhelming when solutions seem out of reach. The support of an attorney and parenting consultant can give you a clearer path forward. Janet L. Goehle, Attorney at Law, is here to provide that support. Take advantage of a free initial consultation today to learn how our firm can help.
