The coaching and support services are for parents who have dealings with the Family Court. Parents going through any family court proceedings can request either one-off support (simple enquiry) or ongoing support and coaching to help them through with their court Family Court case. 

Yes, this service is available for any person going through the family court process. However we are not able to provide you with legal advice. Our goal from assisting lawyer-represented litigants is to help them gain more knowledge and understanding about the court process and obtain second opinion on how to do things right according to the Family Court prescribed rules.

Whether you are self-represented or planning to self-represent in the family court. We help you and coach you through all the process, assist you in completing forms, affidavits, memoranda and legal submissions, preparation for hearings and conferences and go the extra mile. Check some our clients’ reviews or we are happy to give you some of our clients contacts and they will tell you more about us.

Fees are by Koha/Donation, depending on your financial situation. If you are struggling financially, please let us know. 

– One-off enquiry : one-off minimum $5 donation
– Ongoing coaching and support: minimum $5 donation every week

FDSS is a newly registered incorporated charitable trust and (not for profit) community organisation. Our coaches have helped many parents over a decade. We are still in the process of obtaining funding from non-government funders. 

Donations would support us continue to provide our services to the many parents like yourself. We are a charity with donee status so any donations over $5, you can claim 33% back on your tax. Just ask us and we can provide you with a receipt

Account Name: FAMILY DISPUTE SUPPORT SERVICES
Account Number: 02-0400-0249518-000

No – we don’t and all information provided in any correspondences (email, text messages, verbal) with FDSS coaches are just legal and procedural information. We are not lawyers, but experienced self-represented litigants who have been through it ourselves and helped hundreds of other parents. As such we cannot provide legal advice but can support and guide you on your case whether you are self represented or represented by a lawyer. Please read our service terms and conditions.

First, you need to complete the Online Registration form and agree with out terms and conditions. After we receive your online submissions, we will send you an email to arrange a 30-60 minutes phone consultation with one of our coaches. After the meeting, we might request further information about your case to help us serve you better. Depending if you need a one-off enquiry or ongoing support or coaching, we will keep supporting you and guide you through the process. We have supported and helped many clients over a decade. 

Our coaches are volunteers. They have families and children and other work / life  commitments. We often do our best to accommodate everyone’s requests depending on the urgency of  the issues in disputes and the prescribed deadlines. The family court processes are often very slow so usually does not require an immediate response unless there are urgent safety issues, however if an urgent matter arises, then we will try and act on it as quick as we can.

• Review and give feedback on your forms and documents • Help you setup a pragmatic litigation strategy and plan • Point out the relevant legislation and show you what forms or documents you need • Support you in-person at the court events and mediation.

We cannot write down the facts and any incidents details or respond to the allegations against you in an affidavit, we can only review them We cannot make decisions on your behalf or  give you specific legal advice or make decisions on the direction of your case on your behalf. We cannot Speak or communicate by any means on your behalf as your agent unless you consent to us to do so. We cannot speak on your behalf in court, unless the Judge permits us to do so • We cannot act as witness in your family court proceedings.

In summary, Self-representation is not only about knowing how to complete forms and file them in the court, as many do believe so. Anyone is able to represent themselves but NOT everyone capable to do it right without help and guidance.  Please check Self-representation Guide page to know what is involved with self-representation in the Family court or speak to us about it. You can also  attend any of our Workshops 

Our services cover all New Zealand. We provide services to clients nationwide, through online chat / email/video and phone.