Advanced Child-focused Parent Education

(a) Course format and content. — In addition to the mandatory parent education class described in Rule 37, family courts may order parties in proceedings involving minor children to attend advanced child-focused parent education classes sponsored by the Supreme Court of Appeals. The advanced child-focused parent education classes shall include 8 hours of content designated to educate parties on reducing parental conflict, focusing on their children’s best interests, and effectively negotiating parenting issues. The parties in a particular case shall attend the class, unless otherwise ordered by the court. (b) Mandatory attendance. — Family courts may order parties to attend advanced child-focused parent education classes for reasons including, but not limited to, the following: repeated court appearances on modification and/or contempt issues related to parenting time and decision-making authority; parties’ apparent inability or unwillingness to resolve conflict effectively; or parties’ communicating inappropriate messages through the children or speaking negatively about the other party or the other party’s family in the presence of the children. Only by order of the court may parties attend the advanced child-focused parent education classes approved by the Supreme Court of Appeals. (c) Fees. — The fee for each party to attend is $75. The fee shall be paid in full prior to attending and is payable to the circuit clerk in the county in which the case is pending. The clerk of the circuit court shall, on or before the tenth day of each month, transmit all fees collected under this rule to the state treasurer for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the special revenue fund known as “parent education fund” established by West Virginia Code § 48-9-604. The order requiring parties to attend an advanced child-focused parent education class shall specify the fee each party shall pay prior to attending the advanced child-focused parent education class. A party who has filed a financial affidavit and received a fee waiver shall not be required to pay a fee. The family court may review any fee waiver in accord with West Virginia Code § 51-2A-8(e). The family court, in its sound discretion, may require one party to pay the fees for both parties. (d) Confidentiality. — Advanced child-focused parent education sessions shall be considered confidential subject to Rule 25.12 of the Trial Court Rules. The only information provided to the court is whether a party completes the course. (e) Information reporting. — All court personnel and providers of advanced child focused parent education shall provide the Supreme Court of Appeals such information as the court determines necessary for assessing these programs. [Added by order adopted June 25, 2008; amended by order entered and effective January 22, 2009; and by order entered and effective December 29, 2025.] Mediation