supervised visitation and exchanges

Our goal is to provide a safe and comfortable environment for children and families so that they may maintain healthy relationships.

Visitation Center Location and Contact Numbers

817-212-7296 (During visitation weekends, press 2 to get to the Visitation Center when the center is open.  Please note this phone line is only for scheduled visits for that weekend.)

817-884-1616 (during the work week)

200 East Weatherford St.
1st Floor Weatherford entrance
Fort Worth TX 76196

Member of the Supervised Visitation Network

Notice: Some of the documents on this page are scanned images.  If you require assistance in accessing the information, please contact Family Court Services at 817-884-1616.  

Supervised exchanges through the visitation center:

Supervised exchanges are offered in the Family Law Center on first, third and fifth weekends on the first floor of the Family Law Center.

Please refer to the "Visitation Policies and Procedures" for more detailed information.

• Provide a copy of the order to FCS. Court order or Associate Judge's Recommendation required.
• Intake and one-time fee required. Both parties must complete the intake process before exchanges will be set up. 
• Supervised exchanges available on first, third and fifth weekends. The center is open for supervised exchanges at the following times:
  
  • The first, third and fifth Friday of every month at 6 p.m.
  • The first, third and fifth weekend of every month (determined by Friday), on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

If you have questions, please call us at (817) 884-1616 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Supervised visitation through the visitation center:

Supervised visitation at the visitation center is limited to first, third and fifth weekends for one-hour visits. Visits are held in IV-D court first floor waiting room and second floor assembly at the Family Law Center. (Note: this is subject to availability). There is a 30-day wait list to have a slot assigned after intake is completed by the parties and a one-time $50 set up fee, that can only be waived by the court. There is a $15 fee to be paid in cash at the time of the supervised visit. 

Please refer to the "Visitation Policies and Procedures" for more detailed information.

• Provide a copy of the order to FCS. A court order, associate judge's recommendation, rule 11 agreement or Mediated Settlement Agreement is required. Any agreements made with regard to supervised visitation must first be approved by Family Court Services.
• Intake and one-time fee required. There is a one-time $50 set up fee, that can only be waived by the court. Cases will not be placed on the waitlist until this fee is paid in full and the parties have both completed intake.
• Visitation Center open on first, third and fifth weekends only. The Visitation Center is open on first, third, and fifth weekends only. The center is open for one hour supervised visits on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Supervised visits at one hour only. Supervised visitation is available for one hour only each weekend that the center is open. The hour is assigned by FCS as available.
• Do not include a specific time for supervised visitation.  The better practice is to order that visitation is for one hour, at the time designated by Family Court Services. If you do not check with us first, the time you designate may not be available because supervised visitation slots are limited and are in high demand.
• Subpoenas. The supervisor will try to make arrangements to be available for testifying, if requested in advance by an attorney, by a party or by Family Court Services. Any party requesting the supervisor to testify shall notify FCS and the supervisor at least 7 days in advance of the hearing and shall pay $55 per hour for the time the supervisor is required to be at the courthouse, with a minimum of $110 paid to the supervisor at least 5 days in advance of the hearing. A supervisor may require a subpoena to be provided to him or her for employment purposes. Failure to timely notify a FCS supervisor waives their duty to appear at said hearing. A supervisor only reports what happened during a visit and does not provide a recommendation. The supervisor's records will be made available to attorneys upon advance notice by emailing fcsrecordrequest@tarrantcountytx.gov and payment for the cost of copying (currently 50 cents per page) - no subpoenas are necessary for the attorneys to obtain a supervisor's records. Pro se litigants may review the records in the FCS offices with advance notice; however, FCS does not release copies of the visitation notes to litigants unless ordered to do so by the court.
  
  

If you have questions, please call us at (817) 884-1616 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Community supervised visitation:

Community supervised visitation provides more flexibility. Community supervised visitation is $55 per hour with a two-hour minimum, three-hour maximum. It is a supervised visitation program that enables parents to visit with their children out in the community. 

Please refer to the "Community Supervision Agreement" for more detailed information.

• Provide a copy of the order to FCS. Attorneys and parties may agree to community supervision without consulting with Family Court Services first, as there is currently not a waiting list. However, the parties must still complete intake and there is a one-time $50 set up fee, that can only be waived by the court before getting it assigned. A specifically approved court order, available through our office and in most of the courtrooms, is required. The best way to ensure we can fulfill the order is to state preferred times and dates and add "or as directed by FCS" if not available.
• Intake and one-time fee required. There is a one-time $50 set up fee, that can only be waived by the court before getting it assigned. Cases will not be processed and assigned to a supervisor until this fee is paid in full and the parties have both completed intake.
• No longer than 3-hour visits. Generally, no period of community supervised visitation should exceed three hours at a time.
• Note: The following cases are generally not appropriate for community supervised visitation:
  • the visiting party is a flight risk;
  • the visiting party is seriously mentally ill; or
    
  • the visiting party has a history of violence.
• Payments in cash directly to supervisor.  The supervisor is paid $55 per hour by the visiting party with a minimum of two hours (unless the other party is ordered to pay the cost). The visiting party is required to pay the supervisor in cash at the beginning of visitation, for the full amount of time scheduled for the visitation. If the supervisor terminates the visitation, the supervisor retains the full fee for the time scheduled. If the person picking up the child is late, the person is required to pay the supervisor a $55 late fee or $55 per hour for any hour or portion of an hour beyond the scheduled ending time for the visitation, whichever is greater. 
• Supervisor does not transport children. The supervisor will NOT transport the child(ren) at any time during visitation unless the supervisor determines there is an emergency and failure to transport the child would result in harm to the child.
• Court Testimony. The supervisor is paid $55 per hour by the party requesting testimony for any time the supervisor is requested to appear to testify, with a $110 minimum fee paid in advance of the hearing.
• Subpoenas usually not necessary. Although Community Supervisors are independent contractors, we will do our best to assist as a liaison if a supervisor needs to be available for testifying, if requested in advance by an attorney or by a party. The supervisor's records will be made available to attorneys upon advance notice to FCS and payment for the cost of copying (currently 50 cents per page) - no subpoenas are necessary to obtain a supervisor's records. However, he or she may request a subpoena to be provided at the courthouse, if required for an excused absence from the supervisor's regular employment.  Pro se litigants may review the records in the FCS offices with advance notice. However, FCS does not release hard copies of the visitation notes to litigants unless ordered to do so by the court.
   

If you have questions, please call us at (817) 884-1616 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.