HOUSTON – In this digitally driven society where people rely on apps to solve their problems, the family court system has adapted, implementing a group of co-parenting apps to break the communication barriers that stand between divorced and separated parents.
What are co-parenting apps?
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Co-parenting apps such as Our Family Wizard, Talking Parents and AppClose, which are available for download on iOS and Android, are instant messaging platforms designed to reduce conflict between divorced parents and withered unions whose conversations often lead to disputes.
The apps typically come into the picture after a divorce or custody case concludes.
Mandated and monitored by a judge, parents must exchange text messages, phone calls and video calls via these apps about their child’s medical bills, extra curricular activities, schooling and other parenting-related topics.
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All communications are stored and subject to review by law enforcement, a judge, and attorneys presiding over the case. There is no way for either parent to manually delete conversations. In some cases, a requirement to remain civil is written into the court order or custody agreement. If a parent sends a threatening or insulting message to the other party, they could face legal consequences.
Can co-parenting apps track my location?
Houston family law attorney Allecia Pottinger, founder of ALP Law Firm, says that Texas family courts often issue orders that prohibit parents from tracking one another. Therefore, co-parenting apps are incapable of tracking one’s location.
What are sobriety apps & how are they used in family court?
The most commonly referred to app is Soberlink, a digital breathalyzer that family courts use to ensure that parents with a history of alcohol abuse are sober while spending time with their children.
“You would blow into the Soberlink system, and the system would let You know whether the person is testing positive for alcohol abuse,” explained Allecia Pottinger.
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“If they test positive, at that point, or right before the visitation, then that visitation is canceled. So, the other parent wouldn’t have to worry about, ‘is my child being driven by somebody who’s drunk and on the road,’ and things like that. Or parenting and they’re drinking and not really paying attention to the children and putting them in harm’s way.”