ACTIONS FOR CUSTODY, PARTIAL CUSTODY
AND VISITATION OF MINOR CHILDREN
RULE L-1915.1. INITIAL CUSTODY CONFERENCE
(a) In all cases in which a party seeks an Order of Court, or modification of an existing Order of Court, regarding custody, partial custody and/or visitation of minor children, including proceedings commenced under the Domestic Relations Code of 1990 (23 Pa.C.S. §§ 5301 et.seq.), unless both parties by certification verify that an Initial Custody Conference would be fruitless, the moving party shall proceed by moving the Court to schedule an Initial Custody Conference. This motion shall be submitted in a form in substantial compliance with that found in L-1915.3(a). The Initial Custody Conference shall be scheduled by the Court Administrator within forty-five (45) days of the date the motion is filed. The Initial Custody Conference shall be attended by the parties and their respective counsel, if any, and they shall attempt to reach amicable settlement of the matter.
(b) The parties shall be notified of the scheduled Initial Custody Conference by Order of Court per L-1915.3(b). It shall be the responsibility of the moving party to see that copies of the Order of Court scheduling the Initial Custody Conference are served on all parties and their respective counsel.
(c) Should the parties reach full agreement at the Initial Custody Conference, unless the parties agree otherwise, the moving party shall have such agreement reduced to the form of a Consent Order of Court. The Consent Order shall indicate that the agreement was reached at an Initial Custody Conference and include the date of the Initial Custody Conference. Upon preparation and execution thereof, either party may submit this Consent Order to the Court for approval and signature. A copy of the Consent Order shall be transmitted to the Court Administrator.
(d) Initial Custody Conferences shall be held at the Indiana County Courthouse unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.
