083: Trust, But Verify: How Soberlink Is Changing Sobriety Monitoring in Family Law, with Soberlink’s Mike Fonesca

Alcohol use in custody cases rarely announces itself. In this episode of the Children First Family Law™ Podcast, Krista Nash sits down with Mike Fonesca, national sales manager at Soberlink, to talk about one of the most practical and reliable tools available to family courts today: real-time alcohol monitoring.

Mike breaks down how Soberlink works, why testing frequency matters more than most parents and attorneys realize, and how the device’s facial recognition and tamper-detection technology make it far harder to game than cheaper alternatives. He also covers pricing, the financial assistance program, and how authenticated records hold up in court.

The real thread running through this conversation is trust. Used correctly, real-time monitoring gives families a credible path forward, one built on documented accountability rather than accusation.

In this episode, you will hear:

  • How Soberlink works, from the breath device and facial recognition to real-time compliance reports
  • Why testing frequency matters and what “two tests a day” fails to prove in a custody case
  • The three risk categories courts use to determine monitoring requirements
  • How tamper-detection technology exposes falsified breath samples and identity fraud
  • The difference between Soberlink’s FDA-cleared device and cheaper consumer-grade alternatives
  • Pricing, rental options, and the financial assistance program for qualifying families
  • Why real-time monitoring builds trust between co-parents rather than simply catching violations

Resources from this Episode

https://www.soberlink.com/

www.childrenfirstfamilylaw.com

All states have different laws; be sure you are checking out your state laws specifically surrounding divorce. Krista is a licensed attorney in Colorado and Wyoming but is not providing through this podcast legal advice. Please be sure to seek independent legal counsel in your area for your specific situation. 

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