Parent Education: Notice to Parents for Mandatory Co-Parenting Education Course

You are being provided this Notice because Standing Order 3-2023 requires all parents in certain cases where there is no agreement on custody and/or parenting time of their minor children to attend the four-hour online co-parenting course “Two Families Now” unless a Judge waives the requirement. A copy of the Standing Order can be found at each local Probate and Family Court's Registry or at: Probate and Family Court Standing Order 3-23: Co-parenting education course for married and unmarried parents | Mass.gov

The goals of attending this course are to strengthen co-parenting skills, encourage positive co-parent communication and to understand the negative impact parental conflict can have on children.

If you are the Plaintiff, you or your attorney must serve a copy of this Notice to the Defendant along with a copy of the complaint and summons.

• The Plaintiff is the person who files the complaint in the Probate and Family Court.
• The Defendant is the person being taken to court and is responsible for answering the complaint.

Visit the Two Families Now website in English at: Two Families Now
or
in Spanish at: Ahora Somos Dos Familias

Yes. Both parents must register for the Two Families Now course within 30 calendar days of service of the complaint.

If you are the Plaintiff, that means you must register for the course within 30 calendar days of serving a copy of your complaint and the summons on the Defendant.

If you are the Defendant, that means you must register for the course within 30 calendar days of being served with a copy of the complaint and the summons.

Yes. Each parent must pay the $49.00 course fee to the provider when registering for the course unless the fee is first waived by the Court. If a waiver of the fee is allowed by the Court, you must upload a copy of the approved waiver to the course provider when registering.

If the Court fees in your case have already been waived, you are eligible to have this course fee waived.

If the Court fees in your case have not already been waived and you are unable to afford the $49.00 fee, you must file with the Court an "Affidavit of Indigency and Request for Waiver, Substitution or State Payment of Fees and Costs." The form can be found at each local Probate and Family Court's Registry or online at: Court forms for indigency (waiver of court fees) | Mass.gov

Once you register, you must complete the course within 30 days of registering.

Yes! After completing the program, Two Families Now will provide you with a downloadable and printable Certificate of Completion. You must file the Certificate of Completion with the Court within fourteen (14) calendar days of completing the course. You may file the Certificate with the Court in person, by mail, or by eFile at: eFiling in the Probate and Family Court | Mass.gov

If you think you should not be required to attend the parent education course, you must file form CJD 444, Motion to Waive Attendance at Two Families Now- Co-Parenting Education Course, and provide notice to the other side by sending them a copy.

The form can be found at each Court's Registry or online at: Miscellaneous Probate and Family Court forms | Mass.gov

The Court may waive attendance if:

• There is/are action or patterns of behavior which makes parental communication unsafe; or
• You have a language barrier; or
• You are incarcerated or otherwise unavailable; or
• You and the other parent have a written agreement on custody and/or parenting time issues and you can file this agreement with the Court; or
• You have previously completed the course; or
• You can show other circumstances which indicate justice requires a waiver.

The Court may decide your request without a hearing. If not, the Court will notify you of the date and time for the hearing and whether it will be virtual or in person.

Unless the Court has waived your attendance, failure to register and complete the course may result in sanctions being ordered by the Court.