Sec. 42a.
(1) A joint meeting scheduled by the office of the friend of the court under section 41 of this act or section 17 of the friend of the court act, MCL 552.517, and procedures following a joint meeting are governed by this section.
(2) A joint meeting may take place in person or by means of telecommunications equipment.
(3) Only an individual who completes the training program described in section 19(3)(b) of the friend of the court act, MCL 552.519, shall conduct a joint meeting. At the beginning of a joint meeting, the individual conducting the joint meeting shall do the following:
(a) Advise the parties that the purpose of the meeting is for the parties to reach an accommodation.
(b) Advise the parties that the individual may recommend an order that the court may issue to resolve the dispute.
(4) At the conclusion of a joint meeting, the individual conducting the joint meeting shall do 1 of the following:
(a) If the parties reach an accommodation, record the accommodation in writing and provide a copy to each party.
(b) Submit an order to the court stating the individual's recommendation for resolving the dispute.
(5) If the individual conducting a joint meeting submits a recommended order to the court under subsection (4), the individual shall send a notice to each party who participated in the joint meeting that includes all of the following:
(a) A copy of the recommended order.
(b) Notice that the court may issue the recommended order resolving the dispute unless a party objects to the order within 21 days after the notice is sent.
(c) The place where and time when a written objection can be submitted.
(d) Notice that a party may waive the 21-day objection period by returning a signed copy of the recommendation.
(6) If a party files a written objection within the 21-day limit, the office shall set a court hearing, before a judge or referee, to resolve the dispute. If a party fails to file a written objection within the 21-day limit, the office shall submit the proposed order to the court for entry if the court approves it.
(7) If a hearing under subsection (6) is held before a referee, either party is entitled to a de novo hearing before a judge as provided in section 7 of the friend of the court act, MCL 552.507.
History: Add. 2002, Act 568, Eff. Dec. 1, 2002 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 206, Eff. Feb. 28, 2005