Rule 1915.31 - Custody Conciliation Conference(a) All parties and any child for whom primary physical custody is sought shall be present at the Custody Conciliation Conference, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. Failure of a party to appear at the Custody Conciliation Conference may result in the entry of a custody or visitation order by the Court on the recommendation of the Child Custody Officer in the absence of that party. The absent party may also be subject to contempt proceedings, if appropriate.(b) The Child Custody Conference Officer will conduct informal proceedings and allow the parties and their witnesses to participate. The Child Custody Conference Officer shall control the presentation of evidence and will determine the amount of time allotted to each party for presentation of his/her case. Counsel, or the party himself/herself if unrepresented, may summarize his/her case to the Child Custody Conference Officer. The Child Custody Conference Officer may take testimony from the parties and any witnesses by swearing in said parties and having said parties offer testimony under oath. The proceeding will not be transcribed. At the discretion of the Child Custody Conference Officer, a witness(es) may be permitted to participate via telephone pursuant to Administrative Order 2004-1, In Re Family Court, dated October 26, 2004, pertaining to telephone testimony and subject to subsection (e) below. The conference will last no longer than one-half (1/2) day unless the Child Custody Conference Officer deems one or more issues complex in which event additional proceedings may be scheduled. If an agreement is reached, the agreement shall be prepared and signed in the form of a Custody Consent Order. If no agreement can be reached, the Child Custody Conference Officer will prepare a Summary Report and Recommended Order and forward same to the Court for the Court's consideration. (1) The Summary Report and Recommended Order will be prepared and presented to the court within ten days of the date of the proceeding. The Summary Report will include the following: a. The results of mental and physical evaluations and home studies, if any.b. Findings of fact on jurisdiction or venue issues, if in question.c. Recommendations for custody/visitation. (c) The Recommended Order will normally be signed by the Family Court Judge to whom the case is assigned. (1) The Recommended Order will become a final order unless a Request for Custody Trial De Novo and Pretrial Conference is filed within twenty (20) days after the Recommended Order is mailed or received by the parties, whichever occurs first. A copy of the order shall be provided to the parties by the Prothonotary in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. 236 with a copy to the Civil Division of the Court Administrator's Office.(2) If a party makes a timely request for a Trial De Novo and Pretrial Conference, the Recommended Order will remain in effect pending further order of the Court.(d) After the Family Court Judge to whom the case is assigned signs the Recommended Order, the attorneys representing the parties, or the parties if acting pro se, may review the Summary Report in the Court Administrator's Office - Civil Division within the twenty (20) day time period specified in paragraph (c)(1) above. The Summary Report will not be filed in the Prothonotary's Office. It will not be released from the Court Administrator's Office - Civil Division, nor may parties or attorneys make copies of the Summary Report.(e) A party requesting to participate by telephone shall submit written consent from the opposing party(parties) to the Civil Division of the Court Administrator's Office. If represented by counsel, counsel shall provide written consent to the Civil Division of the Court Administrator's Office at least ten (10) days prior to the conference. If no consent is given by the opposing party to the requesting party (parties), relief must be obtained from the Custody Conference Officer or Hearing Officer pursuant to Administrative Order 2004-1, In Re Family Court, dated October 26, 2004, pertaining to telephone testimony. The requesting party shall contact the Civil Division of the Court Administrator's Office to seek such relief.Amended effective 1/1/2022