CSSD offers the Conciliation Process for parents, who largely agree, to resolve their parentage and/or child support matters with CSSD assistance and to present a consent order to the court.
How does Conciliation Process work?
The child’s parents meet with a CSSD attorney in a virtual conference. If the parents can reach agreement on their parentage and/or support issues, the CSSD attorney prepares a consent order. Both parents, as well as the attorneys present, sign the proposed order electronically. That order then is sent to the judge for signature.
The judge has the option to schedule a virtual hearing to ensure that the order is accurate and the parents understood their rights, but that rarely happens. In most instances, after the order is sent to the court, the judge signs it. Copies are sent to the parents and the attorneys electronically, and the parents are expected to abide by the terms outlined in the order.
This all usually happens without a formal court appearance and in a much shorter timeframe than the traditional process.
Can a parent’s attorney participate in the Conciliation conference?
Yes. If either parent wishes to have a private attorney join the conference, they may do so. Also, CSSD has arranged for legal advocacy groups in the area to be available for customers who wish to have an attorney present but have not secured their own.