- Consolidated Laws - Family Court
PART 2
PROCEDURE
Section 921. Originating proceeding.
922. Preliminary procedure.
923. Referral to voluntary agency.
924. Attendance at conference.
925. Continuation of proceeding.
926. Duration of proceeding.
S 921. Originating proceeding. A spouse may originate a conciliation
proceeding under this article by filing a petition stating that his or
her marriage is in difficulty and that the conciliation services of the
family court are needed.
S 922. Preliminary procedure. The probation service is authorized to
confer with a potential petitioner and may invite the potential
petitioner`s spouse and any other interested person to attend such
conferences as appear to be advisable in conciliating the spouses. The
probation service is also authorized after the filing of a petition to
confer with the petitioner and to invite the petitioner`s spouse to
attend such conferences as appear to be advisable in conciliating the
spouses.
S 923. Referral to voluntary agency. (a) The probation service may
recommend to the petitioner and to the petitioner`s spouse that they
consult with interested voluntary social or religious agencies in the
community. If they consent, the service may thereupon refer them to any
such interested voluntary agency.
(b) The probation service may not prevent any person from having
access to the court for the purpose of having conciliation proceedings
under this article.
S 924. Attendance at conference. If the petitioner`s spouse does not
attend a conference to which he or she has been invited after the filing
of a petition under section nine hundred twenty-one, the petitioner may
apply to the court for an order directing the petitioner`s spouse to
attend a conciliation conference. The court may enter an order
directing the petitioner`s spouse to appear in court on not less than
five days` notice and, if the court concludes after hearing that it will
serve the purposes of this article to require attendance at a
conference, may direct the petitioner`s spouse to attend a conference.
S 925. Continuation of proceeding. If the petitioner`s spouse attends
a conference to which he or she has been invited under section nine
hundred twenty-two or has been directed to attend under section nine
hundred twenty-four and thereafter does not attend any conciliation
conference, the court, on due notice to both spouses, may hold a hearing
to determine whether the proceeding should be continued. If it concludes
that conciliation under the auspices of the family court is not
feasible, it may refer the parties to interested voluntary social or
religious agencies in the community and shall terminate the proceeding
under this article. If it concludes that further efforts at conciliation
under this article should be undertaken, it may direct the spouses to
attend another conciliation conference.
S 926. Duration of proceeding. Unless both spouses consent to the
continuation of a conciliation proceeding under this article, it
terminates ninety days after the filing of the petition.
