Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Deschutes County Circuit Court (Court) offers a variety of programs and services designed to resolve litigation in a constructive manner including arbitration, informal domestic relations trials, settlement conferences and mediation. The Court believes that people who work together to reach a solution for child custody and parenting time issues are more likely to honor the agreement and work cooperatively within the agreement; therefore, the Deschutes County Circuit Court has adopted Supplementary Local Rule 12.015 which requires the use of mediation services to make an initial attempt to resolve issues related to child custody and parenting time. Annually, close to 1,000 dissolution and other domestic relations cases, not including protective orders, are filed in Deschutes County. It is anticipated that the Court will refer approximately 280 domestic relations cases involving child custody and parenting time each year to mediation, though some parties may choose to not participate in mediation. Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party (Mediator) assists and facilitates two or more parties to a controversy in reaching a mutually acceptable resolution of the controversy. Each Judicial District is required to provide mediation in any domestic relations case in which child custody, parenting time and visitation are in dispute. A circuit court may obtain mediation services in a number of ways, including by contracting with private agencies or directly with mediators. The Court intends to designate one or more successful Proposers (Contractors) who may, subject to executing a contract resulting from this RFP, provide court-connected mediation in domestic relations cases for the Deschutes County Circuit Court. Domestic relations mediation services are governed by the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS), Uniform Trial Court Rules (UTCR) and any applicable Supplementary Local Rules (SLR). ORS 107.755 through 107.795 covers mediation procedures for domestic relations cases. ORS 107.765(1) states that “[t]he purpose of the mediation is to assist the parties in reaching a workable settlement of the contested issues instead of litigating those issues before the court.” The Deschutes County Circuit Court also has SLR Chapter 12 that covers mediation of child custody and parenting time. While attached for Proposer’s convenience, Proposer is responsible for reviewing and understanding the current versions of all applicable ORS (Bills and Laws Oregon Revised Statutes (oregonlegislature.gov)), UTCR (Oregon Judicial Department : Current Rules : Uniform Trial Court Rules & Committee : State of Oregon), and SLR (Oregon Judicial Department : Rules : Going to Court : State of Oregon.
