Rule 1915.11-1 - Parenting Coordination(a) Appointment of a Parenting Coordinator.(1) If the parties agree on a Parenting Coordinator or if the Court deems one necessary, an order will be entered in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. No. 1915.22.(2) If the parties cannot agree on the selection of a Parenting Coordinator, the Court shall require each party to identify their choice(s) along with the hourly rate of each to all parties. If the parties cannot agree, the Court will select a Parenting Coordinator. The roster of the Court's approved Parenting Coordinators and their stated hourly rates shall be posted at http://www.courts.phila.gov/(3) Any party seeking a pro bono appointment under section (d) (3) below must file with the Clerk of Family Court a Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis for the appointment of a Parenting Coordinator within three (3) days of the appointment order absent good cause shown. The In Forma Pauperis form can be found at www.philacourts.us.(b) Roster of Approved Parenting Coordinators. An attorney or mental health professional seeking to be included on the Philadelphia County Court's roster of qualified individuals to serve as a Parenting Coordinator shall submit an affidavit to the Administrative Family Court Judge or her/his designee together with the following:
(1) An affidavit attesting the applicant has qualifications found in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1915.11-1;(3) An acknowledgment that for every 2 fee generated Parenting Coordination assignments, he or she must accept one pro bono assignment (up to 12 hours per pro bono case).(c) Parenting Coordinator Recommendations(1) Parenting Coordinators shall file their Summary and Recommendations with the Clerk of Family Court within two (2) days after the last communication with the parties on the issues in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. No. 1915.11-1 (f)(2). (2) Objections to Parenting Coordinator's Recommendation(s) and Petition for a Record Hearing. a. A party objecting to the Recommendations must file with the Clerk of Family Court an original and copy of their Objections and a Petition for a Record Hearing before the Court within five days of service of the Summary and Recommendations together with a Proof of Service upon all parties and the Parenting Coordinator.b. The Clerk of Family Court shall promptly forward the original Objections and Petition to the Administrative Family Court Judge's Office for assignment to the parties' Family Court Judge to promptly schedule a record hearing. If the matter is an emergency or time-sensitive and the assigned Family Court Judge is not available, the matter will be assigned to the Emergency Custody Judge to conduct a record hearing.(3) Court Review of Parenting Coordinator's Recommendations. If no objections to the Parenting Coordinator's Recommendation are filed with the Clerk of Family Court within five days of service of the Summary and Recommendation, the Clerk of Family Court shall transmit the file to the Administrative Family Court Judge's Office to be assigned to the appointing Judge, if available, within a reasonable time, otherwise to any Family Court Judge for review of the Recommendation in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. N o . 1915.11-1(f)(4).
(d) Fees Parties who request the appointment of a Parenting Coordinator or who are identified by the Court as benefiting from the appointment of a Parenting Coordinator shall pay the Parenting Coordinator as follows:
(1) His or her hourly rate, which may be up to $300.00 an hour; provided, however, if the parties combined monthly net income exceeds the mandatory minimum set forth in the Support Guidelines at Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2 (e) (2) (currently $30,000 per month), the Court may adjust the hourly rate;(2) Absent good cause, each party shall pay up to $500 as an initial retainer ($1,000.00 total) which may be reallocated as deemed appropriate by the Parenting Coordinator or the Court. See Pa.R.C.P. No. 1915.22, Order at ¶ 8.(3) If a party is granted In Forma Pauperis status by the Court specifically for theappointment of a Parenting Coordinator, the Parenting Coordinator so appointed shall serve on a pro bono (no fee) basis, up to 12 hours. (4) A Parenting Coordinator must accept one pro bono appointment for every two fee generating appointments. (e) Philadelphia County, through its Administrative Family Court Judge, has entered into a Five County Compact on Parenting Coordination with Chester County, Montgomery County, Delaware County and Bucks County. The terms of that Compact are incorporated herein, and a copy is annexed hereto. Phil. Cnty. Pa. 1915.11-1
Adopted by the Board of Judges on February 28, 2019, promulgated on March 25, 2019 by P.J. GCR No. 06 of 2019, Published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on April 6, 2019; effective 5/6/2019.