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Rule 34: Divorce Seminar



(A) Pre-Decree. Within thirty (30) days before or after completion of service of process in any action for divorce or legal separation in which there are minor children or within thirty (30) days before or after the filing of a petition for dissolution of marriage in which there are minor children, the parties shall successfully complete a Court approved seminar for divorcing parents.

(B) Post-Decree. No later than thirty (30) days after the completion of service of process of a motion to modify the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities or the filing of a motion to modify and/or enforce visitation in any case in which the parties have not successfully completed a seminar approved by the Court for divorcing parents, they shall successfully complete the Court approved seminar.

(C) Registration. Each parent shall be responsible for registering at least one (1) week prior to the seminar to be attended.

(D) Failure to Attend. The Court shall not conduct a hearing or enter a final order allocating the primary rights and responsibilities for a child, grant shared parenting, modify the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities or modify and/or enforce visitation to or on behalf of any parent who has not completed the court approved seminar. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no action shall be delayed by the responding or non-moving party's failure or delay in completing the seminar. In such event, the Court may elect to conduct a hearing and issue a final order. Upon a party's failure to successfully complete the seminar, the Court may take such action, including but not limited to actions for contempt, as is appropriate.

(E) Content. The seminar shall focus on the needs of children whose parents are undergoing divorce or separation and shall cover the general areas of: (1) The effect of the divorce on the family; (2) How the breakup of the family effects children; (3) Recognizing the signs of stress and ways to deal with that stress; and (4) Behavior to avoid.

(F) Proof of Attendance. Upon completion of the seminar, each participant shall receive a certificate evidencing their attendance at the seminar. The certificate shall be presented to the Journal Department at the time the entry is submitted for approval.

(G) Evaluation. Each participant in the seminar shall complete an evaluation prior to receiving a certificate evidencing completion of the seminar.

(Effective June 1, 1994.)

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