Author
Michelle Brown
Editor, Next Step Counseling
Michelle Brown is the editor of Next Step Counseling. She writes and maintains our plain-language guides to court-ordered classes and mandated-counseling requirements — anger management, DUI/DWI education, parenting and co-parenting classes, and divorce education.
Her focus is turning confusing court paperwork into clear next steps: what a judge or probation officer actually ordered, how the hour and format rules work, what a valid completion certificate must show, and how to confirm a class your court will accept before you spend a dollar. Every guide is written against public court, DMV, and government sources, with those sources cited on the page so you can check them yourself.
Not legal advice. Michelle is not an attorney, and these guides are general information, not legal advice. Requirements vary by state, county, and judge — always confirm with your court, clerk, or attorney. See our editorial standards for how we research and review this content.
Articles by Michelle Brown
- Anger Management vs. Batterer Intervention (BIP): Which One Does Your Court Actually Require?
- Do You Have to Take a Parenting Class to Get Divorced?
- California DUI Programs Explained: AB 541, AB 1353, SB 38 & the Wet Reckless
- What Does Divorce Actually Cost in 2026? Lawyer vs. Mediator vs. DIY
- High-Conflict Co-Parenting: Parallel Parenting, Getting It in Writing, and Apps That Hold Up in Court
- Where Do I Start With Divorce? A Plain Roadmap for the Overwhelmed
- Do Court-Ordered Parenting Classes Affect Custody? (And What If Your Ex Won't Take One)
- Court Ordered You to Take a Parenting Class? Here's What Actually Happens Next
- Can You Get a DUI for Weed? Yes — Even Where Marijuana Is Legal
- Coming Back: What an Alienated Father Can Do (Part 2)
- Parental Alienation & Fathers, Part 1: Understand It
- Co-Parenting Apps in 2026: What's Still Free, Paid, and Court-Usable