Our approved source list
Custody is legal-adjacent. Parents make real decisions — which schedule to propose, what their state actually requires, whether 50/50 is realistic for their situation — based on what they read here. That means the bar for sourcing is higher than a typical parenting site, and it should be.
Every factual claim on this site links to at least one source from this whitelist:
- State bar association websites (e.g., calbar.ca.gov family law resources)
- State court self-help websites (e.g., courts.ca.gov, nycourts.gov)
- AAML — American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- NACC — National Association of Counsel for Children
- Justia — legal information and case law
- U.S. Department of Labor — for FMLA and workplace accommodation intersection with custody
- A Better Balance — work-family legal resources
- Peer-reviewed family law and child development research
Mommy blogs, sponsored legal content, lawyer marketing pages, and secondhand summaries are not sources. We go to the original statute or publication. If a claim can't be traced to one of the organizations above or a peer-reviewed study, it stays out. No exceptions — even when the information sounds right, even when "everyone knows" it.
How an article gets made
Articles don't start as drafts. They start as questions — usually the kind divorced parents are searching for at midnight before a mediation session. Here's the actual process:
- Topic selection.We look at what divorced and separated parents are actively searching for, what the top-ranking results cover, and — more importantly — what they miss. A topic gets greenlit when there's a real information gap and we can fill it with sourced material.
- Research. Source material comes from the approved whitelist above. We read the full statute or publication, not an abstract or a blog post summarizing it. If a state guideline has been updated, we check the most recent version and note the date.
- Drafting.Articles target an 8th-grade reading level (Flesch-Kincaid). Short paragraphs. Clear headings. Answer-first structure — if you're reading on a phone between mediation sessions, you should find the answer in the first sentence of the relevant section, not buried in paragraph four.
- Citation placement.Every factual claim links directly to its source. Minimum 3 authoritative citations per article. We never group citations at the bottom in a generic "Sources" section — they go inline, next to the claim they support, so you can verify without scrolling.
- Review. A separate pass for legal accuracy, readability, and completeness. Does this match current state statutes? Would a parent going through their first custody proceeding understand this without prior legal context? Is anything missing that a reader would reasonably expect?
- Publish + monitoring. Published articles show a publish date and a last-updated date. When state statutes change or the AAML releases new guidance, we go back and update every affected article. Nothing published here stays static forever.
Readability standards
Our audience is stressed. Going through one of the hardest transitions of their lives. Often reading on a phone between work meetings or after the kids are asleep. Content decisions flow from that reality:
- 8th-grade reading level (Flesch-Kincaid) — no legal jargon without definition
- Answer-first paragraphs — the main point comes before the explanation
- Tables for schedules, not paragraphs of days and times
- FAQ sections for common follow-up questions (snippet-optimized for search)
- One idea per paragraph — no dense multi-point blocks
- Active voice, second person ("you" not "one should")
If an article requires legal terminology (parenting time, legal custody vs. physical custody, best interests standard), we define it the first time it appears in plain language. We don't dumb things down — we make them accessible. There's a difference.
What you won't find here
Legal advice.This site is educational and informational. Always consult a family law attorney for decisions about your specific custody situation. We present what state statutes and court guidelines say — we don't tell you what to do with it for your specific case.
Sponsored content or paid placements.No lawyer, mediator, or platform pays for mention in our articles. When we name a product (OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents), it's because it's relevant to the topic — not because someone paid us to include it.
Fear-based framing.Custody is stressful enough without someone telling you you're about to lose your kids or that your case is "in danger." We present information calmly. Where something is time-sensitive (filing deadlines, modification windows), we explain why — we don't scare you into action.
Fake credentials.The team behind this site are researchers and writers, not attorneys or mediators. That distinction matters, and you'll never see us blur it. We don't use stock photos of lawyers. We don't invent "legal review" processes that don't exist. When we say "editorial team," that's exactly what it is.
Conflict of interest disclosure
Custody Schedules is a privately funded project. Revenue comes from the (upcoming) subscription app — not from ads, affiliate links, or sponsored articles. No lawyer, mediator, or custody platform has editorial influence over this site.
If that ever changes — if we add affiliate links, accept sponsored content, or take brand partnerships — it will be disclosed clearly on the affected page and noted here. As of today: zero conflicts.
Corrections and updates
We take errors seriously. If you find an outdated statute, a broken citation link, a factual error, or something that reads misleadingly — tell us. Every report gets reviewed within 48 hours.
- Minor corrections(broken links, typos, date errors): fixed and the "last updated" date advances.
- Factual corrections (a statute changed, a citation was wrong): the article is updated with a visible note explaining what changed and why.
- Guideline updates (new state statutes, AAML guidance, court rule changes): all affected articles are reviewed and updated within one week of publication.
Report errors to hello@custodyschedules.com with the page URL and what looks wrong. We respond within 2 business days.