What is a 'recommending counselor' and should I be worried?
CAj_ramos1 month ago
Our county does 'recommending mediation' — the counselor writes a recommendation to the judge if we don't agree. Is that the norm?
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California counties split on this. 'Non-recommending' counties (like LA, SF, Alameda) have the counselor try to broker an agreement; if no agreement, the case goes to the judge with no recommendation. 'Recommending' counties (like Orange, San Diego, Riverside) have the counselor send a written recommendation to the judge that strongly influences the outcome. Treat a recommending interview with the same prep you'd bring to a court hearing: be on time, be calm, focus on the child's needs not the other parent's faults, and bring a concrete proposed schedule. The counselors see a lot of badmouthing — the parents who don't do it stand out.
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Please readThis is a community space for sharing personal experience — it is not legal advice, and posts here are not from Lawma or your attorney. We strongly encourage you to post under an anonymous handle, keep questions general, and avoid posting private details of your active case. For advice about your own situation, message your attorney.