Rule 12.015 - MEDIATION OF CHILD CUSTODY AND PARENTING TIME(1) In any domestic relations suit involving a contest over custody or parenting time of children, the parties shall make themselves available to the court's mediation service.(2) If there is a disagreement between the parents concerning custody or parenting time at any stage of a domestic relations case, both parents, or their attorneys, may either sign and file with the court a stipulated request for mediation or file with the court and serve upon the other parent, or his/her attorney, a request for mediation in substantially the form provided by the court. The parents will be referred by the court to the court-connected mediation program in accordance with these rules, or the parents may agree and stipulate to an independent mediator in their stipulated request for mediation.(3) If the parties select a mediator independent of the court system, they shall directly contract with the independent mediator and be responsible for payment of any fee for mediation service.(4) Parties shall make every effort possible to resolve custody and parenting time issues before the pretrial conference. Counsel should be prepared to inform the court of the status of mediation during the pretrial conference.(5) In the event the parents are not successful in mediating the custody or parenting time controversy, the mediator shall notify the court. The matter will be scheduled for a hearing in the same course and with the same priority on the docket as though there had been no mediation.(6) Counsel for either party will not be allowed to attend mediation proceedings.(7) All mediation proceedings shall be private and all communications made shall be confidential, except as otherwise provided by statute. A spouse or any other individual engaged in mediation proceedings shall not be examined in any civil or criminal action as to such communications and such communications shall not be used in any civil or criminal action without the consent of the parties.Deschutes Supp. L. R. 12.015
Amended effective 2/1/2024.