Today, 05:55 AM
If you and your child's other parent cannot agree on a custody plan, the Orange County Superior Court will not immediately schedule a trial. Instead, before a judge at the Lamoreaux Justice Center will even hear your case, you will be required to attend mandatory mediation. This process, known as Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC), is a critical, and often misunderstood, part of every contested custody case. Understanding how this confidential process works is a huge strategic advantage. This is a local procedure where an experienced firm like JOS Family Law can provide invaluable guidance.
The most important thing to know about Orange County's CCRC program is that it is confidential and non-recommending. This makes it different from neighboring counties like Riverside or Los Angeles. In a "recommending" county, if parents cannot agree, the mediator writes a detailed report and a custody recommendation to the judge. This report often becomes the court's final order. This puts immense pressure on parents, as one "bad" mediation session can destroy their case.
Orange County is different. Here, the mediator's job is to do one thing: help you and the other parent reach an agreement. If you do not reach an agreement, the mediator simply reports back to the court that "no agreement was reached." That is it. They cannot tell the judge what you said, who was being unreasonable, or what they think should happen. What you say in mediation (with the exception of credible threats of harm or abuse) is confidential and cannot be used against you.
This confidentiality is a powerful tool. It creates a "consequence-free" environment where you can negotiate in good faith without fear that a misspoken word will end up in a negative report. It is your best, and safest, opportunity to settle your case on your own terms. A skilled child custody lawyer in Orange County will prepare you for this meeting not as a high-stakes test, but as a strategic negotiation. They will help you draft a clear, child-focused parenting plan to propose. This plan should detail the weekly schedule, holidays, vacations, and decision-making for school and health.
Preparation is everything. Do not walk into mediation planning to "wing it." Your focus must be 100% on the children's needs, not your feelings about the other parent. Do not use the time to rehash old arguments, make accusations, or discuss financial issues like child support (which the mediator cannot address). Instead, use child-focused language. Instead of saying "I want 50/50," say "I believe it is in our children's best interest to have a consistent 2-2-5 schedule so they have stability and frequent contact with both of us."
If you reach an agreement, the mediator will draft it, and it will be signed by the judge, becoming a full, enforceable court order. If you do not agree, you are simply back to square one, and your case will proceed to a hearing. But you will have lost nothing. This confidential process is your best chance to create a plan you can live with, without a judge imposing one on you.
This is a unique local procedure. For expert help in preparing your negotiating strategy and parenting plan for Orange County's CCRC process, contact the team at JOS Family Law.
The most important thing to know about Orange County's CCRC program is that it is confidential and non-recommending. This makes it different from neighboring counties like Riverside or Los Angeles. In a "recommending" county, if parents cannot agree, the mediator writes a detailed report and a custody recommendation to the judge. This report often becomes the court's final order. This puts immense pressure on parents, as one "bad" mediation session can destroy their case.
Orange County is different. Here, the mediator's job is to do one thing: help you and the other parent reach an agreement. If you do not reach an agreement, the mediator simply reports back to the court that "no agreement was reached." That is it. They cannot tell the judge what you said, who was being unreasonable, or what they think should happen. What you say in mediation (with the exception of credible threats of harm or abuse) is confidential and cannot be used against you.
This confidentiality is a powerful tool. It creates a "consequence-free" environment where you can negotiate in good faith without fear that a misspoken word will end up in a negative report. It is your best, and safest, opportunity to settle your case on your own terms. A skilled child custody lawyer in Orange County will prepare you for this meeting not as a high-stakes test, but as a strategic negotiation. They will help you draft a clear, child-focused parenting plan to propose. This plan should detail the weekly schedule, holidays, vacations, and decision-making for school and health.
Preparation is everything. Do not walk into mediation planning to "wing it." Your focus must be 100% on the children's needs, not your feelings about the other parent. Do not use the time to rehash old arguments, make accusations, or discuss financial issues like child support (which the mediator cannot address). Instead, use child-focused language. Instead of saying "I want 50/50," say "I believe it is in our children's best interest to have a consistent 2-2-5 schedule so they have stability and frequent contact with both of us."
If you reach an agreement, the mediator will draft it, and it will be signed by the judge, becoming a full, enforceable court order. If you do not agree, you are simply back to square one, and your case will proceed to a hearing. But you will have lost nothing. This confidential process is your best chance to create a plan you can live with, without a judge imposing one on you.
This is a unique local procedure. For expert help in preparing your negotiating strategy and parenting plan for Orange County's CCRC process, contact the team at JOS Family Law.