A Family of Programs and Services That Can Help

Families today come in many shapes and sizes as do the disputes that can occur during divorce, child-rearing and other family-related issues.

The Center for Dispute Settlement (CDS) can save many families anxiety, time and money with individualized programs that help peacefully resolve disputes including:

 

Child Custody & Visitation: Family Court & Supreme Court

  • Audience: Parents and guardians of children, ages 18 or younger, in which a custody or visitation issue exists.
  • Benefits: Avoid protracted custody battles while doing what’s best for the child(ren) involved; minimize court system involvement and save on legal costs.
  • Availability: The Finger Lakes Region (Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates County offices); Livingston, Monroe, Cayuga and Steuben counties.

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Juvenile Mediation

  • Audience: Young people ages 8-17 who are in conflict with a parent(s) or school.
  • Benefits: Help participant identify concerns and develop solutions.
  • Availability: The Finger Lakes Region (Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates County offices); Livingston, Monroe, Cayuga and Steuben counties.

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Permanency Mediation

  • Audience: Family members, Department of Human Services case workers, social service agencies, attorneys, law guardians and advocates.
  • Benefits: Avoiding trial and achieving timely outcomes in child welfare cases.
  • Availability: Monroe, Ontario, Steuben and Yates counties.

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Divorce Mediation

  • Audience: Mediation services for parties going through separation or divorce with a need to resolve business or partnership property, custody and visitation matters, support, personal/marital property, debts and any other items deemed assets of the marriage.
  • Benefits: Develop mutually-acceptable resolutions to facilitate or minimize court system involvement; potentially save on legal costs and decrease time frames.
  • Availability: The Finger Lakes Region (Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates County offices); Livingston, Monroe, Cayuga and Steuben counties.

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Divorce Arbitration: Supreme Court

  • Audience: Arbitration services for parties submitted or stipulated from the courts concerning marital property or other related divorce issues.
  • Benefits: Develop mutually-acceptable resolutions to facilitate or minimize court system involvement; potentially save on legal costs and decrease time frames.
  • Availability: The Finger Lakes Region (Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates County offices); Livingston, Monroe, Cayuga and Steuben counties.

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Parent-Child Mediation

  • Audience: Parents and children, ages 7-21, with issues of truancy, behavior, rules violation and other family or community issues.
  • Benefits: Resolution of issues in a safe and confidential matter between parents and children, with the assistance of a neutral third party mediator.
  • Availability: Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe and Steuben counties.

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Surrogate's Court: Wills and Estates Mediation

  • Audience: Families with disputes surrounding the loss of a loved one referred to by NYS Surrogate Court.
  • Benefits: Come to peaceful resolution to heal and strengthen families.
  • Availability: Monroe County (17 East Main Street office).

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Last updated: Monday, May 22, 2006