Parenting classes by state · Georgia
Court-Ordered Parenting Classes in Georgia
In Georgia, the court-ordered parenting / parent-education requirement is the Seminar for Divorcing Parents (court-mandated domestic-relations parenting seminar), overseen by Each county's Superior Court (its judicial circuit), acting under Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, which is adopted statewide by the Supreme Court of Georgia / Council of Superior Court Judges and administered locally. Here's who has to take it, whether you can do it online, how long it takes, and how to find a course your county's Superior Court will accept.
Quick answer: parenting classes in Georgia
Varies by court / county. Georgia has no single statewide parenting-class mandate; instead, Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 authorizes each Superior Court circuit to require a parenting seminar of no more than four hours in domestic-relations cases involving minor children, and nearly all circuits (Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth, Clayton, and others) have adopted it. Format varies by county — many accept an approved online course (Gwinnett, for example, now offers its seminar virtually) while some circuits still require in-person attendance and only honor providers on the local court's approved list, so there is no statewide provider locator; always confirm with the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the case is filed. your county's Superior Court decides what counts — confirm the course and format before you enroll or pay.
At a glance
| Is a parenting class required? | Often — required by many counties/courts (not uniformly statewide) |
|---|---|
| Who takes it & when | Parents and other parties in a Superior Court domestic-relations case involving a child under 18 — divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, legitimation, or a custody/visitation modification — generally must complete a court-approved parenting seminar before the judge enters a final order, in the large majority of Georgia judicial circuits that have adopted the program. |
| Typical length | Up to 4 hours (capped by Rule 24.8; typically a single 4-hour seminar) |
| In person or online? | Varies by court / county |
| Program name | Seminar for Divorcing Parents (court-mandated domestic-relations parenting seminar) |
Georgia-specific rules to know
- The legal basis is Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 ('Court Mandated Programs in Domestic Relations Cases'), a permissive statewide rule that each superior court circuit adopts by majority vote of its judges — it is NOT a uniform statewide mandate, so whether a program exists and its exact rules vary by county.
- The seminar is capped at four hours by rule and applies to divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, legitimation, and custody/visitation modification cases involving a child under 18; contempt actions and (generally) domestic-violence matters are excluded.
- Both parents are typically required to complete it — the court may require 'any or all parties' — but they do not have to attend together and can take it separately; a certificate of completion must usually be filed before the final decree is entered, and many circuits set roughly a 30-day-from-service deadline.
- Rule 24.8(D) requires a fee-waiver procedure for indigent parties (pauper's affidavit, Medicaid/Medicare, or state indigency guidelines); the class fee otherwise typically runs about $30–$55 per parent.
- Online acceptance and the list of approved providers are decided locally by each circuit, not by a statewide agency — some counties accept approved online courses, others require in-person attendance, so verify with your county before enrolling.
County requirements
Because Georgia sets its parenting-class requirement court by court, the biggest counties run their own named program with their own approved provider and deadline. Here's what the court requires in these Georgia counties — always confirm the current rule with the specific court handling your case.
Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville)
Navigating Family Change — Gwinnett's Divorcing Parents Seminar — Gwinnett County court program, offered virtually. Gwinnett County's Divorcing Parents Seminar, branded 'Navigating Family Change,' is a required four-hour seminar for parents with a child under 18 in a divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, legitimation, custody, or visitation case (contempt and most domestic-violence matters are excluded). It must be completed within 31 days of service of the complaint, costs $52 per person (fee waivers available for indigent parties), and is offered virtually with each parent registering individually. Always confirm the deadline and current registration details with the Gwinnett County Superior Court before you enroll or pay.
Gwinnett County Courts — Parenting Seminar → · Sources: gwinnettcourts.com/court-programs/parenting-seminar.aspx, assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf
Fulton County (Atlanta)
Families in Transition — Fulton's Divorcing Parents Seminar — court-affiliated seminar, offered in person and online. Under Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, Fulton County (the Atlanta Judicial Circuit) directs parents in a divorce or custody case involving a child under 18 to the 'Families in Transition' Divorcing Parents Seminar, a four-hour class offered in person ($30) or online ($50). Each parent completes it separately and files the certificate of completion with the court, commonly before the status conference. Always confirm whether the seminar applies to your case and the filing deadline with the Superior Court of Fulton County before you enroll or pay.
Superior Court of Fulton County — Family Division → · Sources: fultonsuperiorcourtga.gov/family/family-division-rules, assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf
DeKalb County (Decatur)
Families in Transition — DeKalb's Divorcing Parents Seminar — Center for Navigating Family Change (virtual, led by trained family therapists). DeKalb County Superior Court, under Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, directs parents in a divorce or custody case with a child under 18 to complete the 'Families in Transition' Divorcing Parents Seminar. It is a virtual program led by trained family therapists, costs $50 per participant, and each parent registers and attends separately. Always confirm the requirement and any deadline with the DeKalb County Superior Court before you enroll or pay.
DeKalb County Superior Court — Families in Transition → · Sources: dekalbgasuperiorcourt.gov/families-in-transition, assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf
Cherokee County (Canton)
Divorcing Parents Seminar (Co-Parenting Seminar) — Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit — the 9th judicial district's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) office (adr9.com). In Cherokee County (Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit), the Divorcing Parents Seminar is mandatory for parents with a child under 18 in a divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, custody, visitation, or legitimation case, and a judge will not finalize the divorce until both parents' completion certificates are filed. The four-hour co-parenting seminar costs $55 per person, parents do not have to attend together, and it is administered through the circuit's ADR office (adr9.com). Always confirm the current schedule and format with the Cherokee County Superior Court before you enroll or pay.
Cherokee County Superior Court Clerk — Parenting Seminar → · Sources: cherokeecourtclerk.com/parenting-seminar, assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf
Find an approved parenting class in Georgia
Start with the official state or court list — that's the one your county's Superior Court is most likely to accept — then confirm the specific course with your court or clerk:
Georgia doesn't publish one central approved-course list — your county's Superior Court, your clerk of court, or your county's family-law self-help center will tell you which courses are accepted for your case.
Prefer to look on a map? Search Google Maps for parenting classes in Georgia — then check any provider against the official guidance above and your court's order before enrolling.
Can you take it online? Whether an online parenting course is accepted in Georgia depends on your court or county. An approved online course can be the fastest way to finish — but confirm your county's Superior Court accepts your specific course first. How court-approved online parenting classes work →
Source & accuracy: compiled from Each county's Superior Court (its judicial circuit), acting under Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, which is adopted statewide by the Supreme Court of Georgia / Council of Superior Court Judges and administered locally and official Georgia court sources. Requirements change and vary by county and case — always confirm the course, format, hours, and deadline with your court before enrolling. Sources: assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf, georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/family-law/divorce-forms/divorce-with-minor-children, gwinnettcourts.com/court-programs/parenting-seminar.aspx, southernjudicialcircuit.com/programs/program-for-parents-regarding-the-effects-of-divorce-on-minor-children, coweta.ga.us/government/government/courts/superior-court-clerk/court-services-division/parenting-classes.