Rule 1915.20 - Custody Conciliation Processa) The parties and/or their counsel shall attend the intake conference which, shall be conducted by the Intake Officer or designated individual within approximately forty-five (45) days after the filing of the Complaint or Modification Petition so the parties will have had an upper trinity to attend the Children First Program in accordance with Local 1915.3. Comment-1998
The Intake Conference is not a hearing , but an opportunity for parents to reach agreement. early in the custody process. No evidence or testimony is presented. The goal of the Intake Conference is (1) to assist the parties In identifying areas of agreement and disagreement and sharing parenting responsibilities and (2) develop a parenting plan that best, suits them and their children.
b) All agreements reached at Intake Conference shall be reduced to a Consent Agreement. (From 2 ),c) If agreement on all issues Is not reached, then a temporary agreement may be entered Into by the parties and a Conciliation Conference scheduled to further address the unresolved issues.d) The Conciliation Conference will be conducted by the Custody Conciliator, whose role is to actively engage the parties in reaching a custody agreement using mediation skills and techniques. Comment - 1998
A Conciliation Conference is informal, with no record created or testimony elicited from parties or witnesses and is scheduled for 1 1/2 hours for one (1) or two (2) sessions as needed. The parties are given the opportunity to present the Issues or problems and explore all available options for resolution.
e) A Consent Agreement form will be completed and signed when reached. (FORM 2 ). Any unresolved issues are to be negotiated to a temporary agreement that the parties can live with or the Conciliator will forward a Referral for Temporary Order to the Court that shall become a final order unless a request for Evidentiary Hearing is filed. The Temporary Order will include all areas of prior agreement.f) Participation "will be limited to the parties and/or their counsel. All participants must act in a cooperative manner and comply with the directives of the person conducting the conference.g) Any attorney who attends Intake and /or a Conciliation Conference with a client will participate consistent with the following:1) The primary duty of the attorney will be to counsel and advise the client rather than to advocate.2) Attorneys shall fully cooperate with the efforts of the Intake Officer and/or Custody Conciliator to facilitate the agreement of the parties. 3) Attorneys shall advise their clients in a manner not disruptive of the conciliation process, which will ordinarily require consulting with the client outside the conference room.4) Counsel shall at all time behave in a professional manner and refrain from engaging in hostile or antagonistic conduct directed toward any conference participant.5) Attorneys shall not engage in legal argument except that counsel may advise of legal issues relevant to the formation of a temporary or recommended order. 6) Counsel a hall not. attempt to question the other party, present evidence nor otherwise engage in conduct characteristic of an adversarial proceeding. h) If at any time daring the conciliation process a party and/or their counsel engages in conduct inconsistent with the rules or disrupts the conciliation process or interferes with the function of the Blair County (Custody Office, the Intake Officer or Conciliator may recess the proceeding, remove the violator and reconvene it appropriate. If a party is removed, an order can be entered in their absence. If an attorney is removed, the party can continue in the process if they so desire. Any violator will be referred to a contempt proceeding.