Dear Colleague,
If you practice in the field of family law, you are probably aware that all individuals involved in dissolutions, child custody or parenting time disputes in the Fifteenth Judicial District are required to attend a "mediation orientation" before the judge will sign an order in their case. I am certified under state rules as a "court-connected domestic relations mediator" and under contract with Curry County to provide mediation services for qualified individuals. I present a one hour mediation orientation on the first Tuesday of each month from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Chetco Community Public Library. This program is offered in addition to the mediation orientation presented by Coastal Center in Gold Beach on the third Thursday of each month. The scheduling and location of my program are designed to make the program more accessible to residents of Southern Curry County. This program is paid for by a portion of court filing fees, but is open to anyone, whether they have filed pleadings with the court or not. Pre-registration is required.
I encourage you to have your clients who are subject to the orientation requirement to sign up for the program at the earliest possible stage of their divorce, since opposing parties may not attend the same session, and there are a limited number of presentations. Perhaps more importantly, mediation at the early stages of a divorce or a custody dispute can significantly reduce the devastating effects of divorce on children who are inevitably caught in the middle. This, at least for me, is the primary goal of the program. Parties may sign up for the program through the State Court Clerk’s Office in Gold Beach with Lori, who is the domestic relations facilitator for Curry County. Phone (541) 247-4511.
In addition to the orientation program, I offer actual mediation sessions, which are also prepaid by court filing fees for up to four hours per qualified couple. The goal of mediation in these cases is to resolve custody and parenting time issues. Couples in Curry County may now take advantage of this prepaid service without having to travel to Coos Bay. Financial issues will not be addressed in court sponsored mediation. Also, couples who have FAPA restraining orders in place are not eligible for mediation under the court sponsored program. For more information, visit www.cooscurrycourts.org online, click on the "family court" button, and follow the links to the mediation pages.
In addition to the court sponsored program, I offer private mediation at reasonable rates. This method of dispute resolution is especially effective in resolving emotional conflicts such as divorces, but can also be applied to other civil, and even criminal cases. For clients who cannot afford litigation, or don’t want their dispute made public, mediation may be the answer. I strongly encourage my mediation clients to retain legal counsel, and lawyers are welcome to sit in on mediation sessions. Please feel free to contact my office at the number above if you have questions.
Kindest regards,
Paul Pierson