Rule 8.011 - PARENT EDUCATION(1) Mandatory Parent Education Program(a) The court has established a parent education program authorized by ORS 3.425.(b) Parties to dissolution of marriage, separation, or other proceeding involving minor children shall attend the court mandated Co-Parenting Education Seminar or an equivalent parent education approved by the court.(c) A copy of this local rule and instructions on how to register for the program shall be served by the initiating party on all parties against whom relief is sought. Service shall be completed in the manner provided in ORCP 7 at the time the initiating documents are served.(d) All parties shall have fifteen (15) days after service of the notice upon the opposing party to register for the program. The court may extend the time within which a party must register to attend a parent education program or may waive the requirement after reviewing the requesting party's motion and supporting affidavit.(e) The parent education program provider shall issue a certificate of completion to the participants when they have completed the program. This certificate must be presented to the court.(f) A copy of the current Co-Parenting Education Seminar schedule may be obtained from the court's website at http://courts.oregon.gov/courts/Benton, or by calling the Domestic Relations Clerk at 541-243-7846, or requesting by letter to: Trial Court Administrator
Benton County Courthouse, Room 101
120 NW 4t h Street
Corvallis, OR 97330
(2) The court, at its discretion, may require that parties complete the High Conflict Solutions Parenting class in addition to the Mandatory Parenting Education Program.(3) Sanctions (a) The court shall actively promote each party's completion of a parent education program. Failure or refusal to complete a program in a timely manner may be considered by the court in making its ruling on issues which are in dispute.(b) A party who has completed a parent education program may request that the court strike the pleadings of a party who has not completed the program in a timely manner without good cause.(4) Fees (a) Each party shall pay a fee to the parent education program provider upon registering for the program.(b) The program registration fee may be waived or deferred by the court. The procedure for requesting a fee waiver or deferral shall be the same as used to request a waiver or deferral of the fee when filing a petition for dissolution.(c) An application for fee waiver or deferral must be made prior to registering for the program. When registering, either the fee must be paid or the order waiving or deferring the fee must be provided to the program provider by the registering party.Amended effective 2/1/2024.