Co-Parenting App for District of Columbia Parents

Court-admissible messaging, shared custody calendar, and expense tracking — built for District of Columbia families navigating co-parenting through Superior Court (Family Court Division).

2.6

divorces per 1,000 people

Superior Court (Family Court Division)

handles custody in DC

D.C. Code § 16-914

custody statute

District of Columbia custody law

DC courts determine custody based on the best interests of the child and may award joint custody to encourage shared parenting responsibilities.

What District of Columbia courts consider in custody decisions

DC courts apply 16 statutory factors under § 16-914(a)(3) including the wishes of the child, the wishes of the parents, the child's interaction and interrelationship with parents and siblings, the child's adjustment to home/school/community, the mental and physical health of all individuals, the capacity of each parent to communicate and cooperate with the other parent, the willingness of each parent to share custody, the prior involvement of each parent in the child's life, the geographic proximity of the parents' homes, the child's preference if of suitable age and capacity, the demands of parental employment, the age and number of children, the sincerity of each parent's request for custody (to prevent using custody as a bargaining chip), the parent's ability to financially support a custody arrangement, the impact on the child of any potential relocation, and any history of domestic violence or child abuse.

How the custody process works in District of Columbia

DC custody cases are filed in the Family Court Division of DC Superior Court. The court may order mediation through the Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division, which provides free mediation services for family cases. DC Family Court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the child's interests and conduct an independent investigation. Under the statute, the court must explicitly consider each of the 16 statutory factors and state findings on the record. DC allows both parents and third-party caretakers (such as grandparents) to petition for custody under appropriate circumstances.

Key District of Columbia custody statutes

  • D.C. Code § 16-914
  • D.C. Code § 16-914.01
  • D.C. Code § 16-831.01

How Civly helps District of Columbia parents

AI-powered message rewriting

Type what you really feel — Civly rewrites it into something any District of Columbia Superior Court (Family Court Division) judge would respect. Your vent stays private. Your record stays clean.

Shared custody calendar

Color-coded custody schedule synced with your District of Columbia parenting plan. Share a read-only link with grandparents, attorneys, or mediators.

Expense tracking with receipt OCR

Snap a receipt or forward an email. AI extracts the amount. Your co-parent approves or disputes. Everything documented for court.

Court-ready records

Every message is timestamped, SHA-256 hashed, and exportable as a certified PDF — admissible in District of Columbia's Superior Court (Family Court Division) system.

Pricing comparison

Civly

$59/year

  • AI message rewriting
  • Custody calendar
  • Expense tracking
  • Court-ready exports
  • Free attorney portal

OurFamilyWizard

$240/year

No AI. Manual entry. Documentation only.

Frequently asked questions

Start co-parenting better in District of Columbia

Join thousands of parents using Civly to communicate professionally and protect their custody case.

Get started — $59/year

30-day money-back guarantee. Court-accepted in every state.

Cities in District of Columbia

Civly serves co-parents across District of Columbia. Find local court info and resources for your city.