Statutes: North Carolina

(a) The authority of a parenting coordinator shall be specified in the court order appointing the parenting coordinator and shall be limited to matters that will aid the parties in complying with the court’s custody order, resolving disputes regarding issues that were not specifically addressed in the custody order, or ambiguous or conflicting terms in the custody order. The parenting coordinator’s scope of authority may include, but is not limited to, any of the following areas:

(1) Transition time, pickup, or delivery.

(2) Sharing of vacations and holidays.

(3) Method of pickup and delivery.

(4) Transportation to and from visitation.

(5) Participation in child or day care and babysitting.

(6) Bed time.

(7) Diet.

(8) Clothing.

(9) Recreation.

(10) Before- and after-school activities.

(11) Extracurricular activities.

(12) Discipline.

(13) Health care management.

(14) Alterations in schedule that do not substantially interfere with the basic time-share agreement.

(15) Participation in visitation, including significant others or relatives.

(16) Telephone contact.

(17) Alterations to appearance, including tattoos or piercings.

(18) The child’s passport.

(19) Education.

(20) Other areas of specific authority as designated by the court or the parties.

(b) The parenting coordinator shall decide any issue within the scope of the parenting coordinator’s authority, and the decision shall be enforceable as an order of the court. The decision shall be in writing and provided to the parties and their attorneys. So long as the custody order under which the decision is made is in effect, the decision shall remain binding after the expiration of the parenting coordinator’s term unless the parenting coordinator or a subsequent parenting coordinator modifies the decision or the court reviews and modifies the decision.

(b1) Any party or attorney for the party may file a motion for the court to review a parenting coordinator’s decision. The parties shall comply with the parenting coordinator’s decision unless the court, after a review hearing, determines that (i) the parenting coordinator’s decision is not in the child’s best interests or (ii) the decision exceeded the scope of the parenting coordinator’s authority. The moving party or the attorney for the moving party shall cause a subpoena to be issued for the parenting coordinator’s attendance at the review hearing. At the conclusion of the review hearing, the court shall determine how the parenting coordinator’s fees, as related to the review hearing, shall be apportioned between the parties. The court may review and modify a parenting coordinator’s decision after the expiration of a parenting coordinator’s term.

(c) The parenting coordinator shall not provide any professional services or counseling to any party or any of the minor children.(d) The parenting coordinator shall refer financial issues related to the parenting coordinator’s decisions to the parties or their attorneys.