Section 20038 Of Chapter 3. Santa Clara County Pilot Project From California Family Law Code >> Division 20. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 3.
20038
. (a) In any case where either party has filed a motion
regarding a custody or visitation dispute and has not yet scheduled
an appointment for the mediation orientation class by the time of the
hearing on the order to show cause, the court shall order all
parties to go to Family Court Services that day to schedule an
appointment. The mediation orientation shall be scheduled within 14
days. Mediation orientation shall be conducted by Family Court
Services and shall include general information on the effect of
separation and dissolution on children and parents, the developmental
and emotional needs of children in those circumstances, time-sharing
considerations and various options concerning legal and physical
custody of children, the effect of exposure to domestic violence and
extreme conflict on children and parents, the nature of the mediation
process and other Family Court Services procedures, and related
community resources.
(b) After the mediation orientation, the parties may elect to
utilize private mental health professionals, in which case the
parties or the court may modify the fast track time guidelines
provided for in this section.
(c) If, after orientation, either party requests mediation, and
both parties complete Family Court Services mediation petitions, an
appointment shall be scheduled within four weeks after both petitions
are submitted and both parties shall attend the mediation as
scheduled.
(d) At the mediation, if the parties agree to all of the issues
regarding custody or visitation, the mediator shall memorialize the
agreement in writing, and shall mail copies of the document to the
attorneys and parents. Unless written objections to the agreement are
sent to Family Court Services within 20 days of mailing the
agreement, it will be submitted to the court and become a court
order. A copy of the order shall be sent with proof of service to the
parties and attorneys by the Family Court.
(e) If mediation is completed and there are remaining disputes,
the mediator shall write a memorandum of any partial agreement and
shall outline the remaining disputes which shall be sent to the
attorneys and parties acting in propria persona. The mediator shall
refer the parties to the Early Resolution Project. The parties shall
meet and confer within 14 days of the referral to determine if a
solution can be formulated. If there are remaining issues to be
settled after the meeting, an early resolution judicial conference
shall be scheduled within 30 days of the request of either party.
(f) At the early resolution conference, the judge may take
stipulations resolving the issues of custody or visitation. The judge
may also request the staff of Family Court Services to provide
assessments and expedited evaluations to be held on the same day as
the conference, in which case the judge, upon stipulation of the
parties, may also order a hearing as soon as the same day on the
issues. The judge may also order counseling, a mental health special
master, psychological testing, or an extended evaluation by Family
Court Services or a private evaluator on some or all issues.
(g) When the court at the early resolution judicial conference
orders an extended evaluation, the parties shall complete all
paperwork, submit deposits to Family Court Services, or both, within
five days of the early resolution judicial conference. An evaluator
shall be assigned to the case within 10 days thereafter.
(h) Evaluation shall be completed within 60 days of assignment to
the evaluator, and the evaluator shall submit a report and
recommendations which include a proposed order resolving all disputed
issues. This report shall be served by certified mail on the
attorneys of record, or on the parties if they are appearing in
propria persona. If there are objections to the proposed order, the
parties shall file written objections, meet with the evaluator within
30 days of service of the report, and serve a copy of the order on
Family Court Services within the 30-day period. If a stipulation is
reached, it shall be filed with the court. If a dispute remains, a
judicial settlement conference shall be scheduled within 14 days of
the meeting with the evaluator. Parties, counsel, and the evaluator
shall be present at this judicial settlement conference. If there is
no resolution at this settlement conference, a trial shall be set
within 30 days from the settlement conference by the settlement
conference judge. If no objections are filed, Family Court Services
shall file the proposed order with the court, and it shall become the
court's order.
(i) For good cause shown, all deadlines in this section may be
altered by the court.