Child support

Parents also have to figure out how much money they need to give each other to take care of you after they separate. This money is called child support. The court will decide how much support will be paid, if your parents need help reaching an agreement. You will not be involved in the this.

If your parents and the mediator can’t work out a parenting plan, the judge will tell your parents that a guardian ad literm will do a a custody evaluation. This lawyer will spend some time getting to know both you and your parents and will think about what would be the best way for you to spend time with your parents and will tell the judge what he or she thinks.

When the judge tells someone what to do, it is called an order. The judge has an office in the court and sits at a desk called a bench. The judge wears a black robe. The judge gets help from the clerk, who keeps the judge organized. In the courtroom, there is also a person called a bailiff who keeps everyone safe. Sometimes a judge can’t finish a case in one day. Then the judge will continue the case.