Criminal cases
TalkingParents isn't just for high or low-conflict cases. Our service is also useful as a condition of pretrial release or probation for criminal cases involving parents. When a parent is arrested on criminal domestic violence charges, they are often ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim as a condition of their pretrial release. This situation can become complicated and frustrating when the defendant and victim share a child and the issue is often passed to Pretrial Services without any obvious solutions or instructions. The same issue often comes up again when the defendant is sentenced to probation with a no-contact order as a condition of probation. In both cases, TalkingParents is an ideal solution. These criminal cases can lead to restraining orders or high-conflict actions as well, which can also incorporate the use of TalkingParents.
Things to keep in mind
- The court should inquire as to the defendant's internet access. Most people have access to a smartphone with a data plan, but if the defendant's access to the internet is more limited, then the court should take that into account when ordering the use of TalkingParents. For example, the court may only require the defendant to check their TalkingParents account once per day when wi-fi is available, or even once per week if they must utilize a computer at the public library.
- The defendant does not need to know the alleged victim's phone number, email address, physical location, or any other contact information to communicate through TalkingParents. Our system can match parents together using only their names and the first name and birthdate of their oldest child in common. As a result, the victim can change their contact information and/or block the defendant across all accounts and services but still have a safe way to communicate with the defendant regarding their child(ren).
- The court may want to include language that allows the use of TalkingParents to be modified by any future court order not related to the criminal case. For example, a different court may later want to order the use of TalkingParents pursuant to a restraining order or other civil case like a divorce, paternity action, or child custody modification. The court in that new case may want to set additional or different requirements for the use of TalkingParents, and this language can negate the need to file a modification to the order in the criminal case.
Example motions and orders
Use of TalkingParents can be requested through a free-standing motion, or you may incorporate it into any number of other motions. Use of our service can also be incorporated into any agreement between the parties to be ratified by court order. Remember, you can adjust our example motion and order language as needed.
Download examplesSee what professionals have to say
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Manny Segarra Family Law Attorney
Segarra & AssociatesThere’s a Record of any interaction between the parties, and that Record is made in such a way that allows for easy introduction for evidentiary purposes. It’s also extremely helpful from the client’s point of view. In cases where there’s controversy or a question as to how a parent is behaving, you have that record there, and I think that keeps everybody a little more honest about what actually happened.
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Kenny Levine Therapist & Coach
Thrive Communication Skills LLCIt’s common for the non-custodial parent to have video calls with their child. So, when there are issues where one parent is telling me that the other parent is coercing the child during their calls or saying inappropriate things, having these calls recorded can be important. There is an axiom in behavioral health, ‘that which is monitored improves,’ and that’s very much the case here.
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Daniel Ryan That Family Law Guy
McKenzie PicaveHaving the app in play can take a lot of tension out of pre-hearing discussions. Sometimes we’re able to move from a very hostile position to a negotiating position quite quickly when parties realize, ‘Wait a minute, they already know what I’ve said or done because they’ve got it in writing right here,’ so there’s no back-and-forth about who said what.