Live and self-paced are different formats
Online classes for court come in two formats. In a live class, you join a scheduled video session, an instructor leads it in real time, and your attendance is checked while you are there. In a self-paced class, you watch recorded lessons and answer quizzes on your own schedule, with no instructor present.
Courts and probation departments set their own rules, and the rules are not the same everywhere. Some want to know that you took part in a class led by a person. Others only ask for proof that you finished the right number of hours. The only reliable answer is the one for your case.
What to look for in your paperwork
Read your court order, sentencing paperwork or probation instructions before you pay for any class. These words are worth noticing:
- “Live” or “instructor-led”: a recorded, self-paced class may not meet the order.
- “In-person”: an online class of any kind may not meet the order. Ask before you book.
- “Certified” or “state-approved”: the order may require a provider from a particular list. Ask your probation officer or attorney which providers qualify.
- A number of hours: book exactly that many hours.
- A number of weeks, or a program name such as batterer intervention (BIP or BIPP): that can be a different program from an hours-based class. Call the provider before you book.
Who to ask
Your probation officer, your attorney or the court clerk can tell you what your order allows. Ask three questions: is an online class allowed, does it have to be live, and does the provider need a particular credential or a place on an approved list? If you can, get the answer in writing or by email so you have it later.
How Schroeder Counseling’s classes work
Every Schroeder Counseling class is live on Zoom and led by Jennifer Schroeder, M.S., CADC. Attendance is verified during each class, and your signed letter of completion is emailed to you the day you finish your required hours. Each letter carries a certificate ID and a QR code, and anyone can check it at schroedercounseling.com/verify.
Classes are sold by the hour: 4, 8, 12, 16, 26, or 52 hours for anger management and domestic violence, and 4, 8, 12, or 16 hours for theft awareness and drug and alcohol classes. Each class page lists the price of every option.
Whether a class meets your order is always the decision of your court or probation department, not ours. If you are unsure, we can send information about the class to your court, attorney or probation officer before you enroll. Call (734) 834-6934.