COURT INVOLVEMENT Clause Samples

COURT INVOLVEMENT. Time spent preparing for court and traveling to and from court will be billed double the full standard rate of $150/hour. The adjusted fee is not applicable in these circumstances. It is this clinician’s decision to not participate in legal and adversarial situations such as custody disputes and litigation between parties. The focus of counseling services is to provide symptom relief and growth.

COURT INVOLVEMENT. Attorneys require a retainer to perform the legal work that you hire them for. I will also require a retainer for work that is related to court. We will discuss the amount of the retainer when we meet.

COURT INVOLVEMENT. In order to protect the child’s confidentiality and the effectiveness of treatment, it must be agreed upon that the therapist will not be called as a witness in a court proceeding by either party. As referenced within the confidentiality section above, revealing information discussed between the child and the therapist can have potentially emotionally damaging effects on the child, the family, and the entire treatment process. Once treatment is started, therapists do not notify or write letters about custody or visitation arrangements. Our therapists do not usually participate in court proceedings; however, a judge may require that the therapist be a witness. If the therapist is mandated by the court to testify, parents must pay the retainer fee as outlined in our Financial Agreement Form and all associated costs. Although our responsibility to your child may require our involvement in conflicts between both parents, we need your agreement that our involvement will be strictly limited to that which will benefit your child. This means, among other things, that the therapist will treat anything that is said in session with us as confidential. Neither parent will attempt to gain advantage in any legal proceeding between the two of you from our involvement with your children. In particular, the therapist needs your agreement that in any such proceedings, neither parent will ask us to testify in court, whether in person, or by affidavit. Each parent also agrees to instruct your attorneys not to subpoena us or to refer in any court filing to anything we have said or done. If the therapist is subpoenaed in regard to custody or divorce disputes, they may not be able to continue as your child or family’s therapist. Note that such agreement may not prevent a judge from requiring the therapist’s testimony. If required to testify, the therapist is ethically bound not to give an opinion about either parent’s custody or visitation suitability. If the court appoints a custody evaluator, guardian ad litem, or parenting coordinator, the therapist will provide information as needed (if appropriate releases are signed or a court order is provided), but will not make any recommendation about the final decision. Furthermore, if the therapist is required to appear as a witness, the party responsible for our participation agrees to reimburse us at the rates noted in our Financial Agreement Form for time spent traveling, preparing reports, testifying, being in attendance, and any...