Welcome to the first topic of online PAS, Dealing with Legal Issues. In this section you will be learning about some of the ways the court system in California helps families resolve disputes.  The Parenting After Separation Handbook may be a helpful resource for this section. 

You will be watching a video about Family Court Services. The video provides an orientation to family court child custody mediation and child custody recommending counseling. You will also learn about how parents can create parenting plans together and with the help of a mediator. The role of the judge in these matters is also discussed. 

The video describes the mediation and child custody recommending counseling court process, provides helpful information about parenting plans, and offers tips on how  parents can reduce conflict and help their children adjust to the changes happening in their family.

Mediation, referred to as child custody recommending counseling in some counties, is a process in which a neutral, specially trained professional who works with the family court will listen to the parents’ concerns and help them develop a parenting plan that meets the needs of their family in the event of a divorce or when two parents choose to live apart.

Now it’s time to watch the video.