Family Law Tip of the Week: Paternity Court Mediation Day

Welcome to Tip of the Week! Judicial officers will offer a tip each week for members of the Family Law Section. Feel free to send suggestions to Mag. Kim Mattingly at kimberly.mattingly@indy.gov.

By Mag. Kimberly Dean Mattingly, Marion Superior Court

The next Mediation Day for Paternity Court is October 5, 2018! This is an event sponsored by the Alternative Dispute Resolution ection of the IndyBar, with some of the city’s top mediators providing their services for a half-day mediation. Litigants must be involved in an active paternity case (sorry, no dissolutions), must have an economic need for assistance with mediation costs (think similar to the qualifications for modest means mediation) and there must be good contact with both parties in the event one of them is unrepresented. A very nominal flat fee is charged to each party, payable that day, and the proceeds are donated to the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. Mediation slots are available for both 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. All parties, including the attorneys, must appear in person. If a party fails to show without release from the court, sanctions WILL BE IMPOSED. If an agreement is reached, a judicial officer is on site to approve the agreement and the parties will leave with a signed and file stamped entry. If you believe you are involved in a case that would qualify for Mediation Day, please contact Erica Perryman at erica.perryman@indy.gov and provide the cause number, the parties’ income, your time preference and the issues to be mediated. The case will be screened and if they qualify, you will get an order for Mediation Day. This is a great opportunity, so don’t let this one pass you by.
 
From your tipster: Mellisica Flippen is working on resurrecting Mediation Day for DR/DC/DN cases as well. Stay tuned!

Stay tuned for a new tip next week!

If you would like to submit content or write an article for the Family Law Section page, please email Kara Sikorski at ksikorski@indybar.org.