If you are going through a child custody dispute, you have very likely been ordered to attend mediation. What happens as a result of that mediation depends on which California county you are in, and whether your county is a recommending county or a non-recommending county.
In a recommending county (Sonoma County for example): parties attend mediation in an attempt to come to an agreement. If no agreement is made, then the mediator writes up a recommendation report. Both parties as well as the judge receive a copy of this report. The judge relies on the recommendation report, because the mediator has spent more time with the parties than the judge has.
In a non-recommending county (Mendocino County for example): parties attend mediation in an attempt to come to an agreement. If the parties reach an agreement, the mediator drafts the agreement and submits it to the court. If no agreement is reached then the parties will return to court at a later date for further hearings.
It’s important to check the rules in your specific county.
If you have questions about your child custody dispute, call me today to schedule an initial phone consultation. (707) 532-5789.
