Do I need an attorney?

This course is education and does not replace legal advice; ask a qualified attorney about your situation. The first workbook section is a list of questions to bring to that conversation.

Is a certificate included?

Yes, a completion certificate. This course is not represented as satisfying a court order. Check the requirements of your own order before enrolling for that purpose.

Are local rules covered?

Procedures vary by state, county, court, and appointment order. The course explains the roles and the usual sequence; follow your orders and your attorney's advice for what applies to you.

How long does it take?

The course is self-paced. There are eleven modules, each built from short reading sections, practical strategies, four private reflection scenarios, and a five-question knowledge check. Work at your own pace and return whenever you need.

Navigating Your Custody Battle · Self-paced course

A custody case is unfamiliar. Your preparation does not have to be guesswork.

Navigating Your Custody Battle is an eleven-module course for parents preparing for attorneys, court-appointed professionals, and court. Suzanne Dircks explains their different roles, how to prepare for the next meeting or hearing, and how to support your child without drawing them into the dispute.

Get the custody preparation course

Eleven self-paced modules · Preparation workbook · $49.95

General education, not legal advice or a promise about your case. Not represented as meeting a court-ordered course requirement.

A parent pauses with a notebook and folder at a kitchen table.

11 modules

Working with your attorney, investigations, court appearances, safety concerns, and your child.

Self-paced

Short reading sections, private reflection prompts, and a five-question check per module.

Preparation workbook

Attorney questions, investigation prep, a court-day checklist, and ways to support your child.

$49.95

One-time purchase. A certificate of completion is included; it records completion only.

Know what you need to prepare, and who to ask.

Your attorney, an appointed investigator, and the judge each look for different things. The course takes them one at a time.

Part 1

Work with your attorney

What to look for in a family-law attorney, and how to interview candidates when time allows. How to bring organized information and clear questions to each meeting, so billable hours go to the work only an attorney can do.

Part 2

Prepare for an investigation

Who investigates and what the appointment order says. What the investigator looks for: your records, interviews, the home visit, and sensitive topics. How to prepare your child for the process without coaching them.

Part 3

Prepare for court while supporting your child

Hearings and trials, what to wear, nerves, testimony, and courtroom conduct. What to do when a safety concern comes up. Keeping routines steady and your composure intact, so your child is not drawn into the dispute.

From the workbook: the court-day checklist

An excerpt from Part 3 of the printable preparation workbook. The workbook is a planning tool, not a legal form, and nothing in it changes what a court decides.

Sample page · Workbook Part 3

Court-day checklist

Hearing names and procedures vary by court. Ask your attorney which issues your specific hearing will decide, what the judge expects, and how long you are likely to have.

The week before

I know the date, time, courtroom, and how to get there, including parking or transit.
I have reviewed my documents and anticipated questions with my attorney.
I have asked about address-confidentiality or privacy protections if I need them.
I have requested any accommodation I need (interpreter, disability accommodation, scheduling).
I have arranged child care so my child is not exposed to the courtroom.
I have talked with my own clinician if anxiety is affecting my health.

What to bring

Any documents my attorney asked me to bring, organized and labeled.
Identification.
A notepad and pen.
Tissues and water, if allowed.

The full page continues with what to wear, conduct on the stand, and what to do afterward.

The whole preparation workbook

Questions to ask an attorney, with room for your notes
Preparing for an investigation: records, routines, interviews, and the home visit
A court-day checklist
Ways to support your child before, during, and after

Five letter-size pages. Print it and write on it. Each of the eleven modules ends with practical strategies, private reflection scenarios, and a short knowledge check. See all eleven modules on the course page.

Get the custody preparation course

$49.95 one-time purchase. Private course access.

This course is for you if...

You are starting a custody case and do not know what to expect from the attorney, the court, or the people the court may appoint.
An investigator, custody evaluator, or Guardian ad Litem has been named, and you want to prepare without rehearsing your child.
You have a hearing coming up and you are more worried about your nerves than the facts.
You are afraid of what the conflict is doing to your child, and you want to be a steady parent while the case goes on.

What this course is not

It is not legal advice. Procedures and the roles of court-appointed professionals vary by state, county, court, and appointment order. Follow your orders and your own attorney's advice.
It will not tell you how to win, how to make the other parent look bad, or how to get your child to say something.
It does not predict what a judge will decide, and it cannot promise any outcome.

Ordered to take a parenting class? Start with the court-ordered course.

Guidance from a former Guardian ad Litem

Suzanne Dircks, M.A., LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor, certified family mediator, and former Guardian ad Litem with more than 1,000 investigations. The course draws on that experience to explain how to prepare, communicate clearly, and keep your child out of adult conflict.