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Family Court ServicesFamily Court Services provides Child Custody Mediation, Recommending Counseling (CCRC) and Child Custody Evaluation services for parties in Family Law cases in which custody and visitation are being disputed. Mediation, Recommending Counseling and Custody Evaluations are conducted by private mental health professionals under contract with the Placer Superior Court as court-connected Child Custody Mediators, Child Custody Recommending Counselors and Evaluators. Family Court Services coordinates the assignments and referrals to the contracted court professionals. Family Court Services also provides an online child custody and mediation orientation to prepare parties to participate in mediation successfully. You can access the Child Custody Mediation online orientation video here. Puede ver el video de orientación de Mediación de Custodia de Hijos Menores aquí. |
Tiered Mediation ModelPlacer Superior Court uses a tiered mediation model. Mediation is required, per Family Code Section 3170, whenever issues of child custody and visitation are in dispute. The goal of mediation is to help parties develop an agreement on a parenting plan in their children’s best interest. A judge may order parents to any tier of mediation or to repeat a given tier.
Tier 1: Confidential Mediation
Tier 2: Mediation with Information Gathering
Tier 3: Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC) |
Domestic Violence and Child Custody Mediation/Recommending CounselingIf there has been a history of domestic violence between the parents and a protective or restraining order is in effect, or a parent alleges domestic violence in a written declaration, the mediator or recommending counselor will meet with the parents separately and at separate times at the request of the parent. If a court has issued a protective order, a support person is permitted to accompany a party protected by the order during any Mediation or Recommending Counseling session, including separate sessions. However, the support person cannot participate in the session. Mediator/Recommending Counselor may exclude a support person from the session if the support person participates in the session, or acts as an advocate, or if the presence of a particular support person is disruptive or disrupts the process of mediation or recommending counseling. The support person is also bound by the confidentiality of the mediation or recommending counseling session. |