Parenting & Family Mediation Services

Services for Divorcing Parents:

In January 2001 the Tennessee legislature passed a law known as the Parenting Plan Law. This law requires parents who are divorcing or parents who are returning to Court to change a past divorce decree (their "divorce papers") to do two things:

  • Both parents must attend (not at the same time) a Parent Education Seminar. This class will help parents learn how to work with each other to provide what their children need.
  • The parents must complete an agreed Parenting Plan. This plan is the part of your "divorce papers" that sets out everything that deals with your children, such as a co-parenting or "visitation" schedule, who makes medical care decisions, etc..

For parents who cannot agree on a parenting Plan, CMC provides mediation services where the parents meet with two volunteer mediators in a safe, confidential setting. The parents work through a process to help them evaluate their options, and to create a plan that they both can live with.

To apply for CMC divorce services, parents need only complete an application and pay a $10 application fee.

Under the Parenting Law, Judges in Tennessee have the ability to require parents to use mediation to create their parenting plan. If this happens to you, you will receive an Order of Reference to Mediation. At this point, the Court sets some standards on how mediation is to take place:

  • Mediation by Court Order must be conducted by a TN Supreme Court listed family mediator. This means a mediator who has been approved by the Court to mediate family and divorce issues.
  • Individual Judges can set their own requirements as to who your mediator should be. To see if you have any special requirements, check your order or ask your attorney for more information.

CMC can assist parents who have been Court Ordered to mediation by helping them to select a TN Supreme Court listed mediator (called Rule 31 mediators). CMC charges a small administrative fee for this service. Since CMC serves as the referral agency, and does not pay these mediators, all other fees for the mediator are arranged on an individual basis with the mediator.

To apply for Court Ordered mediator selection services, contact the CMC office near you.

Post-Divorce Services for Parents

Under the Parenting Plan law, parents who return to court to change a parenting plan may be ordered to mediation. If you are ordered to mediation, the same Court requirements apply as those for divorcing parents. You are required to attend the Parent Education Seminar, and to create a new parenting plan. This may mean keeping the old one, but with some changes.

CMC provides the same services for divorced parents as divorcing. For more information, contact the CMC office near you.