Louisiana Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Louisiana that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Louisiana court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Louisiana court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Louisiana court ordered it?
Louisiana does have a statute tied to domestic abuse battery. Under R.S. 14:35.3, a first or second offense can have part of the sentence suspended only with probation conditions that include completing a court-monitored domestic abuse intervention program, defined in subsection (B)(3) as at least 26 in-person sessions over at least 26 weeks. The offender pays the program cost unless the court finds he or she cannot.
On the civil side, the Domestic Abuse Assistance Act (R.S. 46:2131 et seq.) allows protective orders, and under R.S. 46:2136 a court may order an evaluation and later counseling or treatment. In custody cases, R.S. 9:364 presumes against sole or joint custody for a parent with a history of family violence. Confirm exactly what your own order or judgment requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Louisiana included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Louisiana court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Louisiana-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Louisiana civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Child custody: best-interest factorsLa. Civil Code art. 134
Courts weigh listed factors, including the potential for the child to be abused and any history of substance abuse, violence or criminal activity by a party. When there is a history of family violence, custody and visitation are set under R.S. 9:341 and 9:364.
Custody and a history of family violenceLa. R.S. 9:364
A parent with a history of perpetrating family violence is presumed not to receive sole or joint custody. The presumption can be overcome only by showing, among other things, completion of a court-monitored domestic abuse intervention program, and visitation is generally supervised.
Domestic Abuse Assistance Act protective ordersLa. R.S. 46:2131 et seq., 46:2136
Courts can issue protective orders and approve consent agreements covering temporary custody, support and housing. Final orders are generally for a fixed period not to exceed eighteen months, and the court may order counseling or treatment after an independent evaluation.
Criminal law
Domestic abuse batteryLa. R.S. 14:35.3
Intentional force or violence by one household or family member against another. A first offense carries a fine of $300 to $1,000 and 30 days to 6 months in jail; penalties rise for second, third and later offenses, and for aggravating factors such as strangulation or a child present.
Simple batteryLa. R.S. 14:35
A battery committed without the victim's consent, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both.
StalkingLa. R.S. 14:40.2
Repeatedly following or harassing a person in a way that would alarm a reasonable person. A first conviction carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 and 30 days to 1 year, with enhanced penalties in listed circumstances.
Violation of protective ordersLa. R.S. 14:79
A first conviction of the basic offense carries a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both, with harsher penalties when the violation involves a battery, a crime of violence or being armed.