Co-parenting in District of Columbia, without the 10 p.m. scramble
The school email. The $120 receipt. The pickup you have to confirm again. Hand Civly any of it as it arrived and it lands on one calendar both houses read — and if you ever need the record for Superior Court (Family Court Division), where DC custody matters are heard, it's already there. You won't be building it at 10 p.m.
Set up your side tonight · Cancel anytime · 30-day refund by email
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 17 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
One week, both houses, one version
Paste the school email or a calendar link and the events build themselves. Color-coded custody schedule from your own parenting plan. Share a read-only link with grandparents, attorneys, or mediators.
Say it how it comes out. Send the calm version.
Type or speak what you really feel — Civly writes the calm version — the one you would not cringe at if it were read back later. Your vent stays private and never enters an export. What you send is what gets kept.
Snap the receipt, skip the math
Snap a receipt or forward an email. AI extracts the amount. Your co-parent approves or disputes. Everything documented, timestamped, and exportable for your attorney.
Records your attorney can work with
Every message is timestamped, and exports as a certified PDF with a SHA-256 hash and a code anyone can check at civly.com/verify. How to present it in District of Columbia's Superior Court (Family Court Division) system is your attorney's call, and whether a record is admitted is always the court's decision.
Pricing comparison
Civly
$79/year
or $7.99/month
- AI message rewriting
- Custody calendar
- Expense tracking
- Timestamped PDF exports
- Certified exports with verification codes
OurFamilyWizard Essentials
$149.99/year
Their cheapest tier that includes Writing Assistant. Cheaper OFW tiers exist without it. Per parent, list price August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
You don't need their agreement to start
Set up the calendar, log what's owed, draft the message you have to send tonight. Invite them when you're ready — the shared parts switch on the day they join.
Start tonight — $79/year30-day money-back guarantee. Available 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.
Civly is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. Custody law and the rules of evidence vary from state to state, and individual judges apply them differently. For advice about your own case, speak to a family law attorney licensed in District of Columbia. Civly launched in 2026 and is not named in many court orders yet — if your order already requires a specific platform, keep using it and ask your attorney before switching.