About Conciliation
Court Ordered Conciliation
Kansas courts can order parties into either mediation or conciliation. What is the difference? While very similar, mediation is strictly confidential and with conciliation the mediator can communicate some limited information to the court. As in mediation, the conciliator can help the parties reach agreements and prepare the necessary documents that the court may require. But unlike mediation, if the parties fail to reach an agreement on one or more issues, the conciliator is allowed to communicate to the court the issues that were left unresolved and the respective positions that led to the impasse. It is not, however, the conciliator's task to make recommendations or resolve issues. The court retains that responsiblity.
What is "Expedited Conciliation?"
Expedited conciliation is designed for families that appear to have lower levels of conflict and the issues they need to resolve are not complex. Typically, the parties are pro se (do not have attorneys), but the court anticipates that they may need some limited assistance to reach an agreement and/or complete the necessary documents or worksheets that the court will require. It is not the court's responsibility to complete your paperwork. You must either hire a lawyer or a mediator to do it for you, or the court can order you to conciliation and the conciliator can assist you. With Expedited Conciliation, the conciliator assists with that task in advance of a hearing. Because the task of the conciliator is more limited, the parties only have one meeting with the conciliator that does not last longer than 90 minutes. At the end of the meeting, the conciliator will email all of the appropriate documents to the court for you. If the court approves them, then the court has the discretion to approve your divorce without any further hearings. If agreements are not reached on all issues, the conciliator can advise the court and the court will set a hearing to resolve the disputed issues.
What do I do if ordered into Conciliation.
If you are ordered into conciliation, the process is simple. All you need to do is go to the scheduling tab of this website and schedule your 90-minute appointment. When scheduling, please be sure to include the email addresses of both parties and your case number. Next, please complete our New Client Information Form and the Agreement to Conciliate below, scan and return both to us by email. Once we are in receipt of this information, we will send you more information to help you prepare for your meeting and a payment link. Payment must be submitted before we start work. If you have questions, you can email me at kincaidmediation@gmail.com.