At the Hancock County Probate and Juvenile Court, Judge Kristen Johnson hears a wide variety of cases affecting families. When she surveyed the latest set of difficult pending cases on custody, visitation, and paternity issues, she decided it might be worthwhile to try to resolve them by setting up a Settlement Week.

It was the court’s first attempt with Settlement Week – when a court selects cases to go before a neutral mediator, who works to help the participants resolve their differences. Judge Johnson said she finds devising parenting schedules in court proceedings especially challenging because the solutions need to work for the distinctive circumstances of different families.

“It does not matter how much testimony I have, I do not live their lives, and each family has unique needs,” she said.

During Settlement Week, a mediator encourages the parties in each case to express their concerns and frustrations directly, rather than through their attorneys, to work toward a resolution. The discussions are confidential, and the cases are chosen based on recommendations from judges, attorneys, and involved parties, who agree to participate.

Twelve cases were mediated at the court’s November Settlement Week, with five ending in full agreements and three resulting in partial resolutions. Among their successes, the mediators were able to overcome a six-month conflict between parents about summer and holiday schedules and a contentious custody battle that had been going on for almost two years.

“Mediation allowed the families to have their disputes addressed while creating individualized parenting plans that work for them,” Judge Johnson said.

“I was extremely satisfied with the outcome of our first Settlement Week,” she added. “I think the parties left with agreements that work for them.”