To get a divorce or a “Parental Rights and Responsibilities” order, your parents need to go to court. It can be a long process. It starts when one of them files required papers with the court. Then they meet with a case manager to talk about the issues they need to decide. If they need help to agree on things, sometimes they will see a mediator.
If parents can’t work out an agreement, they will have to ask the court to decide the things they disagree on. If they are getting divorced, Vermont law says the divorce process for parents with children under 18 has to take at least 6 months. Sometimes this court process takes longer. If there are many disagreements, or lots of issues to sort out, it can take much longer.
Children and teens usually don't have to go to court. However, someone who works for the court – or a “Guardian ad Litem” - might meet with you to find out what you want and what is best for you. A Guardian ad Litem is a person hired by the court to find out more about your needs and report back to the court.