Legal Assistance & Court Resources 

• D.C. Superior Court Family Court – Official court page with information on custody cases, forms, and court procedures. 

• Self-Help Center – D.C. Courts – Provides free resources and guidance for individuals representing themselves in family law cases. 

• D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center – Offers free legal assistance and self-help materials for custody and family law disputes. 

• Children’s Law Center – Legal advocacy for children, including representation in custody and guardianship matters. 

• D.C. Legal Aid – Provides legal help for low-income families facing custody and support disputes. 

• Office of the Attorney General – Child Support Services – Assistance with child support enforcement, modifications, and collections. 

Mediation & Alternative Dispute Resolution 

• Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division (D.C. Courts) – Free mediation services for custody and family law disputes to promote out-of-court resolutions. 

• Collaborative Law D.C. – Offers cooperative legal solutions for families seeking alternatives to litigation in custody disputes. 

Child Advocacy Services 

• Council for Court Excellence – GAL Information – Resources on the role of guardians ad litem in custody cases and policy recommendations for child advocacy. 

• D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project – Provides pro bono representation, including guardian ad litem services for children in contested custody cases.

Parenting & Co-Parenting Support 

• D.C. Department of Behavioral Health – Parent Support Program – Parenting education programs to help individuals develop co-parenting skills.  

Supervised Visitation & Parenting Time Assistance 

• Safe Shores – The D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center – Provides supervised visitation services in cases involving safety concerns. 

• D.C. Superior Court Supervised Visitation Center - Provides supervised visitation and exchange services for court-referred domestic relations and domestic violence cases. 

Mental Health & Counseling Services for Children in Custody Cases

• D.C. Department of Behavioral Health – Provides mental health resources, crisis intervention, and therapy services for children affected by custody disputes. 

• The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing – Counseling and trauma recovery services for children and families experiencing high-conflict custody issues. 

Domestic Violence Resources 

• D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence – Advocacy, legal assistance, and resources for survivors of domestic violence involved in custody cases. 

• My Sister’s Place D.C. – Emergency shelter and legal advocacy for survivors of domestic violence navigating custody disputes. 

• The Domestic Violence Intake Center (D.C. Courts) – Provides legal protections, safety planning, and resources for individuals affected by domestic violence in custody cases. 

Written Resources for Custody Cases in D.C. 

Statutes & Court Rules 

• D.C. Code § 16-914 – Custody of Children – The primary statute governing custody decisions in D.C., outlining the 17 best interest factors. 

• D.C. Superior Court Rules of Domestic Relations Procedure – Official procedural rules for custody and family law cases in D.C.

Guardian ad Litem Standards & Training

• Children's Law Center GAL Training Videos and CLC Custody GAL Training Manual - Training materials for new custody guardians ad litem.

• Guardian ad Litem Practice Standards (D.C. Superior Court) – Official standards for GALs representing children in D.C. custody cases. 

General Custody Research 

• Effects of Joint vs. Sole Custody on Children’s Well-Being – Study comparing children’s mental health outcomes under different custody arrangements. 

• Children’s Adjustment to Divorce and Custody Arrangements – Research on how different custody structures impact child development. 

Guardian ad Litem & Child Representation 

• The Role of Guardians ad Litem in Custody Cases – Study on the effectiveness of GALs in different jurisdictions. 

Judicial Decision-Making in Custody Cases 

• How Judges Apply Best Interest Standards in Custody Cases – Study on judicial discretion in applying best-interest factors. 

• Implicit Bias in Family Court Custody Decisions – Research on how race, gender, and socioeconomic factors influence custody rulings.