(1) Each judicial district shall:

Ask a divorce law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified divorce lawyers.
Specialties include: Family Law, Custody, Divorce, Child Support, Child Protection, Alimony, and more.
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(a) Provide a mediation orientation session for all parties in cases in which child custody, parenting time or visitation is in dispute, and in any other domestic relations case in which mediation has been ordered. The orientation session may be structured in any way the circuit court determines best meets the needs of the parties. The orientation session should be designed to make the parties aware of:

(A) What mediation is;

(B) Mediation options available to them; and

(C) The advantages and disadvantages of each method of dispute resolution.

(b) Except in matters tried under ORS § 107.097 and 107.138 or upon a finding of good cause, require parties in all cases described in paragraph (a) of this subsection to attend a mediation orientation session prior to any judicial determination of the issues.

(c) Provide mediation under ORS § 107.755 to 107.795 in any case in which child custody, parenting time and visitation are in dispute.

(d) Have developed a plan that addresses domestic violence issues and other power imbalance issues in the context of mediation orientation sessions and mediation of any issue in accordance with the following guidelines:

(A) All mediation programs and mediators must recognize that mediation is not an appropriate process for all cases and that agreement is not necessarily the appropriate outcome of all mediation;

(B) Neither the existence of nor the provisions of a restraining order issued under ORS § 107.718 may be mediated;

(C) All mediation programs and mediators must develop and implement:

(i) A screening and ongoing evaluation process of domestic violence issues for all mediation cases;

(ii) A provision for opting out of mediation that allows a party to decline mediation after the party has been informed of the advantages and disadvantages of mediation or at any time during the mediation; and

(iii) A set of safety procedures intended to minimize the likelihood of intimidation or violence in the orientation session, during mediation or on the way in or out of the building in which the orientation or mediation occurs;

(D) When a mediator explains the process to the parties, the mediator shall include in the explanation the disadvantages of mediation and the alternatives to mediation;

(E) All mediators shall obtain continuing education regarding domestic violence and related issues; and

(F) Mediation programs shall collect appropriate data. Mediation programs shall be sensitive to domestic violence issues when determining what data to collect.

(e) In developing the plan required by paragraph (d) of this subsection, consult with one or more of the following:

(A) A statewide or local multidisciplinary domestic violence coordinating council.

(B) A nonprofit private organization funded under ORS § 409.292.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, mediation under ORS § 107.755 to 107.795, including the mediation orientation session described in subsection (1)(a) of this section, may not be encouraged or provided in proceedings under ORS § 30.866, 107.700 to 107.735, 124.005 to 124.040 or 163.738.

(3) The court, as provided in ORS § 3.220, may make rules consistent with ORS § 107.755 to 107.795 to govern the operation and procedure of mediation provided under this section.

(4) If a court provides mediation of financial issues, it shall develop a list of mediators who meet the minimum education and experience qualifications established by rules adopted under ORS § 1.002. The rules must require demonstrated proficiency in mediation of financial issues. Once the list is developed, the judicial district shall maintain the list. Mediation of financial issues is subject to the plan developed under subsection (1)(d) of this section and to the limitations imposed by subsection (2) of this section.

(5) A circuit court may provide mediation in connection with its exercise of conciliation jurisdiction under ORS § 107.510 to 107.610, but a circuit court need not provide conciliation services in order to provide mediation under ORS § 107.755 to 107.795. [1983 c.671 § 2; 1993 c.138 § 4; 1995 c.273 § 10; 1995 c.666 § 21a; 1997 c.475 § 1; 1997 c.707 § 18a; 2001 c.394 § 2; 2003 c.791 § 24; 2005 c.22 § 82]