Evaluation Program (H1)
Evaluation services offered through the Conciliation Court include court-ordered child interviews, legal decision-making and/or parenting time evaluations, and parenting coordination.
Court-ordered Child Interviews (H2)
The Court may order a child interview to obtain information regarding one or all the following areas:
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- child’s stated impression of the parent-child relationship(s);
- the extent (if any) of the child’s awareness of the parental conflict;
- the child’s stated preferences concerning legal decision-making and parenting time;
- the child’s account of a specific event related to the parental conflict.
Child interviews are conducted in accordance with Rule 12 of Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure. FCCC counselors may interview children at the Conciliation Court and provide a summary and electronic record of the same to the Judge; or alternatively, meet with the assigned Judge in chambers to assist in interviewing children.
Settlement Based Evaluations (H3)
When there are difficult legal decision-making and parenting time issues involving minor children, the Court may order and make a referral to Conciliation Court to determine whether an evaluation of a family is needed in order to assist the Court in making decisions about legal decision-making and/or parenting time.
Legal decision-making and/or parenting time evaluations are investigations into allegations raised by the disputing parties. Conciliation Court whenever possible conducts settlement-based evaluations directed towards issues of parental competency. At the end of the evaluation, the evaluator often provides feedback to the parties on the findings of the evaluations and assists the parties in settling their dispute. A written report is submitted to the Court with findings and recommendations.
The areas of assessment may include
Bonding/Attachment
Safety/Supervision
Parenting Philosophy
Parental Conflict Issues
Parental Knowledge
Parent/Child Relationship
Parental Investment
Parenting Abilities
Parenting Coordination
A parenting coordinator is a professional appointed the Court to assist parenting in resolving ongoing disputes about the parenting of their children or their decision-making and parenting time arrangements after a decree or order is in place. Under Rule 74 of the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure, parties must stipulate for the Court to appoint a parenting coordinator in their case. Decisions made by the parent coordinator are binding. The Conciliation Court is appointed as parenting coordinator in a limited number of cases based upon financial need.
