(1) No later than January 1, 1999, the presiding judge of each judicial district shall adopt a plan to coordinate the provision of services to families involved in domestic relations or other family court proceedings.
(2) The presiding judge of the judicial district shall establish a local family law advisory committee for the judicial district. The committee will prepare the plan required by subsection (1) of this section. The membership of the local advisory committee must reflect the diversity of the judicial district and must include, in addition to the presiding judge or a judge designated by the presiding judge, the trial court administrator and business, social service, community and government representatives who must be knowledgeable in family and family law issues. In judicial districts composed of more than one county, the presiding judge may establish a local advisory committee in each county or establish one or more committees to serve multiple counties.
(3)(a) At a minimum, the local family law advisory committee shall address the following in the plan:
(A) Mandates for mediation of child custody or parenting time disputes, requiring each party to attend either a group or private mediation orientation session;
(B) Methods of coordinating cases when the same child or family is involved in multiple cases; and
(C) The need for, and provision of, conciliation services, mediation services, child custody evaluations, parent education and visitation services.
(b) The local advisory committee may include other elements in the plan, including but not limited to:
(A) The need for, and provision of, services relating to prevention and early intervention; and
(B) The use of settlement options such as mediation, conciliation, arbitration and settlement conferences.
(c) The local advisory committee shall include in the plan a list of mediators qualified to provide mediation in cases involving spousal support and division of property issues. Once the list is developed, the judicial district shall maintain the list.
(4) The local family law advisory committee shall present the plan to the county governing body of each county within the judicial district and to the presiding judge of the judicial district for their approval. The local advisory committee shall send copies of the plan to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and those members of the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon Senate who represent the areas within the judicial district.
(5) The local family law advisory committee may assist in implementing, monitoring and revising the plan. The local advisory committee, working in conjunction with legal service providers, may coordinate access to family law resources, including family law facilitation and other services. [1997 c.801 §135; 1999 c.1081 §8; 2007 c.71 §3]
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