Holly Wanzer is a founding attorney of Wanzer Edwards, P.C. where she focuses her practice in family law, including collaborative divorce, family mediation, parenting coordination, appeals and representation of children as a guardian ad litem.
Ms. Wanzer earned her Juris Doctor summa cum laude from the Indiana University Robert McKinney School of Law. She graduated magna cum laude from Ball State University, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in English and advertising.
Ms. Wanzer was the founding President of the Board of Directors for the Central Indiana Association of Collaborative Professionals, which provides innovative alternatives to litigating divorce and family law matters, with an emphasis on co-parenting and resolving cases without court intervention. She has presented numerous seminars regarding collaborative law including a two-day basic training for attorneys, mental health practitioners and financial professionals in interdisciplinary collaborative law, an educational teleseminar on Collaborative law for the National Business Institute called “Collaborative Law in Family Law Disputes”, and seminars on the Collaborative family law process for the ICLEF Masters Series program and Indiana State Bar Association’s Solo & Small Firm Conference. She authored the book Introduction to Collaborative Divorce, released by James Publishing in 2014.
Ms. Wanzer is a registered family mediator and trained parenting coordinator providing services to families facing the changing circumstances which accompany dissolution of marriage, custody and parenting time modifications, child support modifications and paternity determinations. Her commitment to the private resolution of family issues, the preservation of positive working relationships within families, and her calm demeanor and sensitivity in the face of emotional challenges make her the ideal choice as a mediator or parenting coordinator for family law matters. Ms. Wanzer is a frequent speaker and presenter on issues involving mediation and mediator ethics.
Ms. Wanzer serves as a guardian ad litem representing the interests of children in courts across central Indiana. She passionately advocates for the best interests of children while at the same time seeking to shield them from the need to personally participate in the legal process.
Ms. Wanzer has been selected as a Super Lawyer by Superlawyers Magazine from 2017-2024. She serves on the Women in Law committee of the Indiana State Bar Association where she has coordinated the Lady Justice program with Girl Scouts of Central Indiana. She teaches bar review courses to recent graduates through the Indianapolis Bar Association Bar Review Course. Ms. Wanzer is a past president of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation which she continues to support as a Distinguished Fellow and Life Fellow. She volunteers her time as a Guardian ad Litem in the Marion County Superior courts and with the Marion County Modest Means Mediation program.
Posts
Keeping Parenting Time Exchanges Peaceful
When kids are living part of the week with Mom and part of the week with Dad, parenting time exchanges become a normal part of life. Unfortunately, these exchanges can end up being the place where kids witness their parents acting badly toward one another. Consider the following procedures to keep your parenting time exchanges peaceful: Keep communication between parents to a minimum. A parenting time exchange is the time for your kids to move from one living space to the next. It is not the time to try to discuss issues with your co-parent, exchange documents or payments, or [...]
What If We Want to Split Custody of the Kids?
Split custody, also known as divided or alternating custody, is a custody arrangement where siblings from the same family are separated between the parents' households. Unlike joint custody, where both parents share physical and legal custody of a sibling group who all follow the same parenting time schedule, split custody involves each parent having primary physical custody of at least one child from the family. When determining custody arrangements, Indiana family courts assess various factors to ensure the best interests of the children are met. In split custody cases, the court will consider factors such as: Age and Preferences of [...]
Reporting Child Abuse in Indiana
In Indiana, like in many other states, there are strict laws in place to address and prevent child abuse. Indiana law requires that certain individuals, often referred to as "mandatory reporters," promptly report suspected child abuse or neglect. These mandatory reporters include teachers, medical professionals, law enforcement officers, social workers, and other individuals who work closely with children. In Indiana, child abuse is broadly defined and includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment. Mandatory reporters are required to report suspected abuse to the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) or local law enforcement. The legal requirement to report [...]
We Don’t Talk – Like At All…
Effective communication between divorced parents is vital for the well-being of their children. When communication breaks down, it can create misunderstandings, confusion, and increased stress for both parents and children. Even if they know that peaceful communication is best, often parents ask, “Do I REALLY need to talk to my ex?” Often a breakdown in communication is caused by lingering resentment, unresolved conflicts, or differences in parenting styles. Also, personal emotions, such as anger, hurt, or frustration, can make communication tough. If you’re still hurting from a breakup or the reasons for your split are showing up in your co-parenting [...]
