VENANGO COUNTY Promulgation of Local Rule 1915.3A; 860-2014 [44 Pa.B. 5458]
[Saturday, August 16, 2014]Order of the Court And Now, this 29th day of July, 2014, it is hereby Ordered and Decreed that Venango County Local Rule 1915.3A is amended as set forth hereinafter. This rule shall be continuously available for public inspection and copying in the office of the Prothonotary. Upon request and payment of reasonable costs of reproduction and mailing, the Prothonotary shall furnish to any person a copy of any local rule. The said local rule shall become effective thirty (30) days after the date of the publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
OLIVER J. LOBAUGH,
President JudgeLocal Domestic Relations Rules—Venango County Rule 1915.3A. Custody Seminar.
(a) When any party files a divorce complaint containing a count for custody, or a complaint for custody, or any other court papers seeking to initiate or reinstate any proceeding to modify, terminate or otherwise affect contact between children and parties, the moving party shall deliver a true and correct copy of the complaint or other court paper initiating the custody action to LeGoullon Counseling Services, 1243 Liberty Street, Suite 205, Franklin, PA 16323.
(b) All parties to an action to obtain or modify a final order of court for any form of legal or physical custody must attend the court-approved seminar ''Venango County Co-Parenting Cooperative'' if they have not already done so. The moving party shall forward a seminar brochure to each party or that party's attorney at the time of service of the complaint or petition. Each party to a custody action shall only be required to attend the seminar one (1) time, unless otherwise ordered by the court. Those parties required to attend the seminar shall include any parent, grandparent, great-grandparent or third party to a custody action. Prior attendance at the court-sponsored seminar ''Helping Families Cope with Divorce and Custody'' shall not excuse attendance at this seminar.
(c) Each party shall receive a certificate upon completion of his or her attendance at the seminar. Each party shall file that certificate of record as evidence of his or her attendance and completion of the seminar.
(d) Each party may attend the seminar with any opposing party in a custody action. No party shall be compelled to attend the seminar with an opposing party in cases where any party, or a child of any party, is or has been the subject of domestic violence or child abuse allegedly perpetrated by the opposing party at any time within the past twenty-four (24) months. In such cases, appropriate arrangements for separate sessions for the seminar shall be made by the facilitator.
(e) All requests to waive attendance at the seminar will require an order of court upon appropriate motion. Waivers will be granted only in exigent circumstances.
(f) All parties who are required to attend the seminar shall complete the seminar within forty-five (45) days after commencement of an action to obtain or modify a final order of court for any form of legal or physical custody.
(g) All parties who are required to attend the seminar shall pay all fees required.
(h) Under exigent circumstances, the court will consider waiver, reduction or assessment of fees to the other party for those unable to pay the fee to attend the seminar. Any such request must be presented to the court by appropriate motion, and must be accompanied by a verified affidavit of indigence or other proof of economic hardship in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. No. 240 and 1920.62.
(i) Absent an order of court, no party shall be permitted to participate in the seminar until timely payment of the fee.
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 14-1727. Filed for public inspection August 15, 2014, 9:00 a.m.]
