Two Families Now Massachusetts: The Mandatory Co-Parenting Course

If you are filing a contested divorce in Massachusetts and have minor children, both parents must complete the "Two Families Now" co-parenting education course. This is not optional — it is mandated by Probate and Family Court Standing Order 3-23, and failure to comply can result in court sanctions.

Here is exactly who must take it, what it costs, and how the deadlines work.

Who Is Required to Take the Course

Standing Order 3-23 (amended February 12, 2024) makes parent education mandatory for:

• Section 1B no-fault contested divorces
• Fault-based divorces
• Complaints for separate support
• Paternity actions
• Custody and visitation complaints

The 1A exemption: By explicit statutory carve-out, parent education is not mandatory for 1A joint petitions. If you and your spouse are filing a cooperative, uncontested divorce, you are exempt. However, a judge retains discretion to order any parent to attend if it is deemed in the child's best interest.

What the Course Covers

Two Families Now is a 4-hour, evidence-based online curriculum designed to reduce co-parenting conflict. It covers:

• How divorce affects children at different developmental stages
• Communication strategies for co-parenting after separation
• How to keep children out of the middle of parental disputes
• Building a functional co-parenting relationship

The course is entirely online, self-paced within its completion window, and approved by every Probate and Family Court division in Massachusetts.

Cost

$49 per parent, paid directly to the course provider at registration. If the court has approved an Affidavit of Indigency for a parent, the fee is waived — no out-of-pocket cost.

Deadlines

The deadlines are strict and run from the date of service:

1. Register within 30 days of service of the complaint. For the plaintiff, this means 30 days from serving the defendant. For the defendant, 30 days from being served.
2. Complete the course within 30 days of registration
3. File the Certificate of Completion with the court within 14 calendar days of finishing the course

Both parents must download their certificate and file it with the court registry. Missing these deadlines can result in court-ordered sanctions.

How to Request a Waiver

If parent education is inappropriate for your case, you can file a Motion to Waive Attendance at Parent Education Program (Form CJD 444). Waivers are typically granted only under limited conditions:

• A documented pattern of behavior that makes communication between the parents unsafe
• Severe language barriers that prevent meaningful participation
• Incarceration of one parent
• A written agreement is already on file that the court has approved

Domestic violence situations are the most common grounds for a waiver. If there is a history of abuse, coercive control, or restraining orders, a parent should never be forced into a shared educational program.

How This Affects Your Case Timeline

The parent education requirement runs parallel to the rest of your case — it does not add time if you comply promptly. But if you miss the deadlines, the court may delay your hearing or impose sanctions until both certificates are filed.

For the fastest path: register immediately after filing or being served, complete the course within a week or two, and file the certificate right away. That takes the entire requirement off your plate within 30 to 45 days of filing.

The Massachusetts Divorce Filing Process Guide includes parent education compliance deadlines built into its timeline worksheet, so you never miss a registration or filing window.

See more Massachusetts guides →