In those counties in which the superior court has by rule or order established a conciliation court, the judge or judges of the conciliation court may, by local rule, with the approval of the presiding judge of the superior court in that county, require one or more hearings or conferences at which the parties must attend in order to further the purposes of this article. The court may also grant exemptions from such a local and mandatory rule if to do otherwise would cause undue hardship.