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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMediation Services FeesDeschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200, Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org AGENDA REQUEST & STAFF REPORT For Board Business Meeting of May 14, 2008 DATE: April 29, 2008 FROM: Dave Kanner Administration 388-6565 TITLE OF AGENDA ITEM: Consideration and signature of Board Order No. 2008-030, An Order Determining a Fee Necessary to Pay the Expenses of Providing Mediation Services in Deschutes County Domestic Relations Suits, Effective July 1, 2008 PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DATE? No. BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Oregon law provides that the circuit courts of the state shall provide mediation for all parties in cases in which child custody, parenting time or visitation is in dispute, and may order mediation in other domestic relations cases. State law further allows the courts to charge and collect a fee for mediation services in these cases, however the law stipulates that the fee must be established by the governing body of the county in which the court resides. (This is not a county fee and is not a part of the county fee schedule.) In 2005, the County established a fee of $150.00 that the court charges in addition to other filing fees in domestic relations cases. The Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial District (Deschutes County) has requested that the Board increase the fee to $165.00, effective July 1, 2008. In addition, the Court has requested that it be allowed to increase the fee each year on July 1, by a percentage equal to the all -cities CPI -U of January to January of the preceding year, up to a maximum of $200. The revnues raised by the fee are used to fund mediation services and to help fund Marys Place, a local non-profit that provides safe exchange and supervised parenting time. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None. All funds are collected and disbursed by the Courts. RECOMMENDATION & ACTION REQUESTED: Approve Board Order No. 2008-030 ATTENDANCE: Dave Kanner, county administrator, Ernie Mazorol, trial court administrator DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS: One copy to Admin. One copy to: Ernie Mazorol, trial court administrator, 1100 NW Bond St., Bend, OR 97701 REVIEWED LEGAL COUNSEL For Recording Stamp Only BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON An Order Determining a Fee Necessary to Pay the Expenses of Providing Mediation Services in Deschutes County Domestic Relations Suits, Effective July 1, 2008 ORDER NO. 2008-030 WHEREAS, the Circuit Court Judges of the Eleventh Judicial District provides mediation in accordance with ORS 107.755 to 107.795 for child custody and visitation disputes and other programs or services to which parties in domestic relations suits may be referred, or that may be ordered by the court; and WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Deschutes County, Oregon formally established in July 2005 a fee of $150.000 pursuant to ORS 21.112; this fee is in addition to other filing fees in domestic relations suits filed within Deschutes County; and WHEREAS, the Board, having determined that the amount necessary to provide mediation services, in addition to any other funds used therefore, is $165.00 per filing for each domestic relations suit filed within Deschutes County; now, therefore, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON, HEREBY ORDERS as follows: Section 1. That pursuant to ORS 21.112, the Board of County Commissioners of Deschutes County, Oregon, hereby establishes a fee to be collected by the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the time of filing in the Circuit Court of a domestic relations suit, as defined in ORS 107.510, in addition to all other fees collected, with the $165.00 to pay the expenses of providing the services set forth in ORS 107.755 to 107.795. Section 2. That the fee set forth in Section 1 of this Order shall increase on July 1, 2009, and on July 1 of each year thereafter by a percentage equal to the all -cities CPI -U of January to January of the preceding year, but in no case shall the fee exceed $200.00. That upon adoption of this Order, the recording secretary of the Board of County Commissioners shall file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court a certified copy of this Order as recorded in the Deschutes County records. Section 3. This Order shall be effective for all domestic relations suits, as defined by ORS 21.112(4) filed in Deschutes County Circuit Court on and after July 1, 2008. PAGE 1 OF 2 - ORDER No. 2008-030 MEDIATION SERVICES - DOMESTIC RELATIONS SUITS DATED this day of , 2008. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON ATTEST: DENNIS R. LUKE, Chair Recording Secretary TAMMY (BANEY) MELTON, Commissioner MICHAEL M. DALY, Commissioner PAGE 2 OF 2 - ORDER NO. 2008-030 MEDIATION SERVICES - DOMESTIC RELATIONS SUITS