New York Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in New York 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 New York 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 New York 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 New York court ordered it?
New York doesn't set one statewide-certified ‘anger management’ curriculum. Family Court and criminal court both have authority to add counseling-type conditions when issuing an order of protection under Family Court Act § 842, and the judge on your case decides what satisfies it.
Family Court and criminal court also have overlapping jurisdiction over the same family-offense conduct under Family Court Act § 812, and domestic violence is a mandatory factor in custody decisions under Domestic Relations Law § 240(1)(a). Because there's no single statewide standard, confirm with the specific court or probation officer on your case what kind of program your order is asking for before you enroll.
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, New York 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 New York 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, New York-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 — New York civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Custody — Domestic Violence as a FactorN.Y. Domestic Relations Law § 240(1)(a)
In any custody or visitation determination, a court must consider evidence of domestic violence between the parties as one factor in deciding what arrangement serves the child's best interest, and may make findings on the record about how that evidence affected its decision.
Family Offense Proceedings — Definitions and JurisdictionN.Y. Family Court Act § 812
Defines “family offenses” (e.g., harassment, menacing, assault, stalking, strangulation) that can be brought in Family Court between people related by blood, marriage, or an intimate relationship, and gives Family Court and criminal court concurrent jurisdiction over these offenses.
Orders of Protection — Conditions Courts May ImposeN.Y. Family Court Act § 842
Lists the conditions a Family Court may impose when issuing an order of protection in a family-offense case, such as no-contact provisions, staying away from a home or workplace, and, in some cases, referral to counseling or a behavioral program chosen by the court.
Criminal law
Assault in the Third DegreeN.Y. Penal Law § 120.00
New York's basic assault statute, covering intentional, reckless, or criminally negligent conduct that causes physical injury to another person. A class A misdemeanor.
Menacing in the Second/Third DegreeN.Y. Penal Law §§ 120.14, 120.15
Criminalizes intentionally placing or attempting to place another person in fear of physical injury, serious physical injury, or death, without requiring actual contact. Second-degree menacing is elevated when a weapon is displayed or the victim has an order of protection against the defendant.
Harassment in the Second DegreeN.Y. Penal Law § 240.26
A violation-level offense covering conduct intended to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, such as striking, shoving, or following someone, or a course of conduct that alarms or seriously annoys them and serves no legitimate purpose.
Conditions of Probation and Conditional DischargeN.Y. Penal Law § 65.10
Lists conditions a sentencing court may impose on probation or conditional discharge, including psychiatric/medical treatment or an approved intervention program, plus a catch-all allowing any other reasonable condition addressing the conduct underlying the offense.