Court-recognized co-parenting platform with shared calendars, documented messaging, expense tracking, and a secure info bank. Creates an unalterable record that can be used as court evidence. Widely accepted by Texas family courts as proof of communication and compliance. Subscription plans starting around
2.99/month. Both parents must have accounts. Used by custody attorneys, parenting coordinators, and judges across Texas for high-conflict co-parenting cases.
(866) 755-9991 · Support 7 days a week · Visit Website
3. TalkingParents Co-Parenting App — Paid
Tamper-proof co-parenting communication app with accountable messaging, recorded calls, shared calendar, and expense tracking. Premium plan includes recorded calls with transcripts. All messages are time-stamped and cannot be deleted, creating a reliable record for Texas family court. Free basic plan available; premium starts around $6.99/month. Accepted as evidence in Texas custody proceedings. Great for documenting communication patterns and compliance with parenting orders.
(888) 896-7936 · Mon-Fri · Visit Website
4. Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center — Free
Free family mediation for Dallas County residents covering custody, visitation, child support, and co-parenting disputes. All mediators serve pro bono — zero cost to participants. Helps parents reach agreements outside of court, reducing conflict and legal expense. Call the Dispute Resolution Center to schedule. Located in the Dallas courthouse area. Both parents must agree to participate. Agreements can be filed with the court to become legally binding orders.
(214) 653-7897 · 600 Commerce Street, Suite 681-D, Dallas, TX 75202 · Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM · Visit Website
5. Harris County Dispute Resolution Center — Free
Free mediation for Harris County residents handling 2,800+ disputes per year including divorce, custody, child support, and visitation. No attorney required — mediation is open to self-represented parents. Trained mediators help facilitate agreements that can be filed with the court. Located in Houston's Harris County courthouse complex. Call to schedule; both parties must agree to mediate. Agreements reached in mediation are typically faster and less costly than contested hearings.
49 San Jacinto Street, Suite 220, Houston, TX 77002 · Mon-Thu 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM · Visit Website
6. Harris County DRO — Supervised Visitation Center — Paid
Court-connected supervised visitation and exchange center for families with active Harris County family court cases. Safe, monitored environment staffed by trained professionals who document all visits. Provides neutral exchange services allowing parents to transfer children without direct contact. Referrals through Harris County Family Courts. Fee is sliding scale based on income. Call the Harris County DRO for referral information and scheduling procedures for Houston-area families.
(713) 274-7285 · 1310 Prairie Street, Suite 1030, Houston, TX 77002 · Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM · Visit Website
7. Travis County DRO — Parenting Coordination (Austin) — Paid
Court-ordered parenting coordination and high-conflict co-parenting coaching under Texas Family Code Chapter 153. Custody evaluations, parenting plan development, and dispute resolution services for Austin-area families. Parenting coordinators help implement existing court orders and resolve day-to-day co-parenting conflicts without returning to court. Fees are court-ordered and split between parents. Contact Travis County DRO for referral and appointment information.
(512) 854-9623 · 1700 Guadalupe Street, 5th Floor, Austin, TX 78701 · Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM · Visit Website
8. Texas Access (txaccess.org) — Co-Parenting Resources — Free
Official OAG-supported site with supervised visitation provider directory, parenting plan templates, and co-parenting education resources for Texas parents. Search supervised visitation centers by county using the online locator. Download free parenting plan worksheets and access educational resources on reducing conflict. Available in English and Spanish. Funded by the Texas OAG Access and Visitation Program and free to all Texas parents at txaccess.org.
(866) 292-4636 · Website 24/7; hotline Mon-Fri 1-5 PM · Visit Website
9. Putting Kids First — Texas Court-Approved Parenting Class — Paid
Online parent education course approved for Texas courts under Family Code §105.009. Focuses on reducing parental conflict and helping fathers understand the impact of family transitions on children. Available 24/7 on any device. Affordable flat fee with an instant completion certificate accepted by courts across Texas. Covers communication, child development, and stress management for separating and divorced parents in all 254 Texas counties.
Online 24/7 · Visit Website
10. Dallas County DRO — Court Mediation — Free
Court-connected mediation and parenting coordination for Dallas County family cases. Certified mediators help resolve custody and visitation disputes outside of court, saving time and legal fees. Both parents must agree to mediate. Parenting coordinators provide ongoing support for high-conflict cases. Located at the Dallas County Courthouse. Contact the Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center for scheduling and fee information for family law mediation cases.
(214) 653-6971 · 600 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75202 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
11. OurFamilyWizard — Texas — Paid
Court-admissible co-parenting communication platform with secure messaging, shared calendar, expense tracking, and ToneMeter AI that flags inflammatory language before sending. Trusted by Texas family court judges and widely accepted as evidence. Subscription required — both parents need accounts. Ideal for high-conflict custody cases where documented communication is critical. Visit ourfamilywizard.com to create an account and invite your co-parent to join.
Visit Website
12. TalkingParents — Texas — Free
Free co-parenting communication app with court-admissible, unalterable records. Messaging and shared calendar included in the free plan. Upgrade available for recorded phone calls and additional features. Messages cannot be edited or deleted, making it a reliable evidence source in Texas family courts. Ideal for fathers who need an accountable communication record during custody disputes. Download TalkingParents on iOS or Android and invite your co-parent to connect.
Visit Website
13. Nueces County (Corpus Christi) Family Mediation — Free
Court-connected family mediation for custody and SAPCR cases in the Corpus Christi area serving Nueces County. Certified mediators assist parents in reaching parenting agreements without contested hearings. Mediation is often required before a judge will hear contested custody matters. Both parents must participate. Contact the Nueces County courts at (361) 888-0256 for referral procedures and scheduling. Agreements can be entered as court orders upon completion.
(361) 888-0256 · Corpus Christi, TX · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
14. Fort Bend County Family Mediation (Sugar Land) — Free
Court-connected family mediation serving Fort Bend County for custody and conservatorship disputes in the Sugar Land area. Trained mediators help parents negotiate parenting plans and resolve conflicts outside of court, saving time and legal costs. Both parents must agree to mediate. Contact Fort Bend County courts for referral procedures and scheduling. Mediated agreements that are signed by both parties can be submitted to the court as a binding consent order.
(281) 341-4400 · Richmond, TX · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
15. Williamson County Family Mediation (Georgetown) — Free
Court mediation for family law cases in Williamson County including custody and possession disputes in the Georgetown area. Mediators work with both parents to develop parenting plans, resolve visitation schedules, and address custody disagreements before contested hearings. Contact Williamson County courts for referral and scheduling information. Mediated settlement agreements can be filed with the court as binding orders, avoiding the cost and stress of trial.
(512) 943-1100 · Georgetown, TX · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Co-Parenting — Common Questions
- Is a parenting class required for divorce?
- In most states, yes — a short court-approved co-parenting course (4–6 hours, 5–$75, often online) is required before any divorce or custody order involving minor children is finalized. Check your state court's approved provider list.
- What's the difference between mediation and court?
- Mediation is a confidential negotiation with a neutral third party helping both parents agree on a parenting plan. It's faster, cheaper, and less adversarial than litigation. If mediation fails or one parent refuses, the court decides. Court-based mediation programs are usually free or sliding-scale.
- Which co-parenting apps do courts accept?
- OurFamilyWizard, Talking Parents, and 2Houses are court-admissible in most US jurisdictions. They provide tamper-proof message logs, shared calendars, expense tracking, and documentation judges will read if conflict escalates.
- What is a parenting plan?
- A written document (required in every custody order) detailing where the child lives, when each parent has parenting time, how decisions are made, how holidays are handled, how to resolve disputes, and how to handle changes. Courts provide templates; customized plans are stronger than boilerplate.