Parenting Coordinator in Florida, In Person in Central Florida and by Zoom Statewide
Quick answer: A parenting coordinator is either ordered by the court or agreed on by both parents. Jessica Oliver, LCSW (SW18101), is a Qualified Parenting Coordinator and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator (44460 CF). She meets co-parents in person in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando and Sumter counties and by Zoom everywhere else in Florida.
How to find a parenting coordinator near you in Florida
A parenting coordinator is appointed by the court or agreed to by the parties (s. 61.125, Florida Statutes). Parents can propose a coordinator they choose and ask that the person be named in the order.
The Florida courts note that the Supreme Court of Florida does not certify parenting coordinators. Coordinators qualify locally, and each local court has its own application process. See the Florida courts' parenting coordination page: Florida Courts: Parenting Coordination
The local circuit courts post public information on their own websites. Hillsborough County is in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (fljud13.org), Pasco County is in the Sixth Judicial Circuit (jud6.org), and Hernando and Sumter counties are in the Fifth Judicial Circuit (circuit5.org).
Court rosters vs. choosing your own coordinator
Some courts keep rosters of coordinators who have qualified locally, but parents don't have to pick a name from a roster. Under s. 61.125, a coordinator may be appointed by the court or agreed to by the parties, so parents and their attorneys can propose a coordinator they both accept. The judge decides whether to include that person in the order of referral. An attorney can explain how this works in a specific case.
How to check whether a parenting coordinator is on your circuit's list
Florida has 20 judicial circuits, and each circuit may have its own list of qualified parenting coordinators. The list that applies to your family depends on the county where your case is filed. A roster is one way to find a coordinator. Parents can also agree on one and ask the judge to approve their choice (see Court rosters vs. choosing your own coordinator).
Find your circuit. Look up your county on the Florida Courts circuit map.
Check that circuit's website. A circuit may post its list there, or the clerk's office can tell you. For example:
Fifth Judicial Circuit (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties): circuit5.org
Sixth Judicial Circuit (Pasco and Pinellas counties): jud6.org
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (Hillsborough County): fljud13.org (parenting coordinator list, PDF)
If no list is posted, call the clerk of court or the family court office, or ask your attorney.
Ask the coordinator which circuit lists include them, then check their answer against the list.
Jessica meets parents in person in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Sumter counties and by Zoom everywhere else in Florida.
Jessica Oliver is also a Qualified Parenting Coordinator listed on the Fifth Judicial Circuit registry.
Where Jessica serves
Jessica meets families in person in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando and Sumter counties. Families everywhere else in Florida meet with her by Zoom.
Hillsborough County, including Tampa
Everywhere else in Florida, through virtual sessions by Zoom
What a parenting coordinator does
A parenting coordinator is a neutral professional who helps parents put their parenting plan into practice, settle the day-to-day disagreements that come up, and communicate in ways that keep children out of the middle. A coordinator makes limited decisions only with the prior approval of the parents and the court.
A parenting coordinator is not a therapist for either parent or an attorney for either side, and doesn't take sides or give legal advice.
A parenting coordinator may help parents:
Interpret and carry out the existing parenting plan and court orders.
Work through recurring questions about schedules, exchanges, holidays, travel and activities.
Set up clearer communication habits between households.
Keep the focus on the children's needs rather than on the adult conflict.
For a closer look, read what a parenting coordinator does in Florida.
Parenting coordination is not available in a domestic violence proceeding under chapter 741. Where there is a history of domestic violence, Florida law requires both parents' consent (s. 61.125(4)(a)). Please raise any safety concerns in the first conversation.
Parenting coordination vs. mediation
Mediation helps parents reach an agreement, such as a new or modified parenting plan. Parenting coordination helps parents carry out a plan they already have, over weeks or months, as new situations come up. Jessica generally doesn't serve the same family as both mediator and parenting coordinator.
Cost and scheduling
Parenting coordination is $250 per hour, billed in tenth-of-an-hour (6-minute) increments, and Zoom sessions cost the same. The retainer is set case by case. Under s. 61.125(7), the court decides how parenting coordinator fees and costs are divided between the parents, and it may not order parenting coordination without the parents' consent unless they can afford it. More detail is in how much a parenting coordinator costs in Florida. Hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with weekends by appointment.
Qualifications
Jessica Oliver, LCSW (SW18101), is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator (44460 CF) and a Qualified Parenting Coordinator. She generally doesn't serve the same family as both mediator and parenting coordinator. She has more than ten years of social work experience and has been a Florida LCSW since 2021. She holds a BSW from Saint Leo University and an MSW from the University of Southern California, and she is an adjunct professor in Cleveland State University's MSW program. In collaborative divorce cases, she also serves as the neutral facilitator, the mental health professional on the team.
Jessica is listed on the Fifth Judicial Circuit Parenting Coordinator registry.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a parenting coordinator in Florida? A parenting coordinator is appointed by the court or agreed to by the parents under s. 61.125, Florida Statutes. An attorney can advise on how to ask for one in a specific case.
Can parents pick their own parenting coordinator, or does the judge choose? Parents can propose a coordinator they both agree on. The judge decides whether to name that person in the order.
Is there a parenting coordinator near me in Tampa / Hillsborough County? Jessica meets co-parents in person in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando and Sumter counties and by Zoom everywhere else in Florida.
Can parenting coordination be done by Zoom? How sessions run, including whether they happen by Zoom, depends on the court order or the parents' agreement.
How much does a parenting coordinator cost in Florida? Jessica's rate is $250 per hour, billed in tenth-of-an-hour (6-minute) increments, the same on Zoom. The court decides how parenting coordinator fees and costs are divided between the parents, and it may not order parenting coordination without the parents' consent unless they can afford it (s. 61.125(7)).
What is the difference between a parenting coordinator and a mediator? A mediator helps parents reach an agreement. A parenting coordinator helps parents carry out an existing parenting plan over time.
How do I find a parenting coordinator near me in Florida? Start by finding your judicial circuit, then check that circuit's roster or parenting coordination page. You can also ask the court or your attorney. Jessica meets parents in person in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Sumter counties and by Zoom everywhere else in Florida. She is also a Qualified Parenting Coordinator listed on the Fifth Judicial Circuit registry.
How can I check whether a parenting coordinator is approved in my circuit? Look up your county on the Florida Courts circuit map, then open that circuit's website and find its parenting coordinator list. If none is posted, call the clerk or the family court office. You can also ask the coordinator which lists include them and check. A parenting coordinator is appointed by the court or agreed to by the parents, so ask your attorney about your case.
Can I work with a parenting coordinator outside my county? Yes. Jessica offers Zoom sessions anywhere in Florida at the same rate: $250 per hour, billed in 6-minute increments, with a retainer set case by case. Under Florida law, a parenting coordinator is appointed by the court or agreed to by the parents, and the coordinator does not have to be on a circuit list.
More answers are on the mediation and parenting coordination FAQ.
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Jessica Oliver, LCSW, is a mediator and licensed clinical social worker, not an attorney. Mediation and parenting coordination are not legal advice, legal representation, or therapy. For legal questions, talk with an attorney.