Court Requirements

[OneDayAtATime]

As you know Pinellas County courts order Parent Classes and Mediation.

How does the court handle the situation when one parent does not complete the parenting class or pay the mediation fee? I received notice of both these with very specific guidelines and time-lines. I have completed my parenting course and paid my mediation fee, my soon to be ex spouse has not done either. Yet has insisted he wants rotating custody.

Mediation is one business day away, will mediation be canceled since he has not paid the fee but I have? Also what effect will him not completing the parenting course have should we settle at mediation?

Thank You.

[Attorney Howard Iken]

A lot depends on which judge you have. Many judges prefer not to approve rotating custody. If one parent did not take the parenting course it will probably eliminate rotating custody as an option.

Failure to comply with mediation requirements can cause a party to be held in contempt (which is not good for them).

Chances are the mediation dept will cancel the mediation if a fee was not paid by both sides. Sometimes they will let it go forward and require that party to sign an agreement to pay.