What day-to-day decisions can a parenting coordinator make without going back to court?

A parenting coordinator's authority comes entirely from the agreement the parents sign when they retain one, so exactly what they can decide varies from case to case, but it's typically focused on the kind of practical, recurring disagreements that don't warrant a full court motion. Common examples include disputes over the details of a parenting schedule, such as pick-up and drop-off times or minor schedule adjustments, disagreements about extracurricular activities or day-to-day routines, and communication issues between the parents.

The point of this role is to resolve friction quickly and directly with the parents, rather than escalating every small disagreement into a formal court motion with its own scheduling and preparation time, so parents aren't stuck in ongoing conflict over relatively small issues. Parenting coordinators generally do not have authority over the bigger legal questions, like changing decision-making responsibility, relocating a child, or altering support, since those typically remain matters for the court or the parents' own agreement. Because the specific scope is set out in the parenting coordination agreement itself, parents should review that document closely, and get legal advice on it, before assuming what is or isn't included.