Family Court in Minnesota maintains its own set of statutory laws, and Family Court proceedings such as divorce or adoption should not be confused with the legal statutes of Civil, Criminal, Conciliation, or other distinct courts of law. Family Court is a separate division of the regular Minnesota trial court, that considers only cases involving family-related issues, including divorce, child custody and support; guardianship; adoption; and the issuance of restraining orders in domestic violence cases.

Ordinarily, Minnesota statutes preclude mediation as a means of resolving disputes in cases involving domestic violence without a court order. Northwest Mediation & Custody Evaluation Services provides a full range of mediation services for disputes that arise in the family court setting. Families commonly use mediation to resolved disagreements involving divorce, modifying court orders after the final divorce judgment and decree, parenting plan modification, parent/child conflicts involving teenagers and step-family members, elder care decision-making, and grandparenting time.

Please note that while custody evaluation services are a part of some Family Court proceedings, they are not a mediation service. Our custody evaluation services are explained on a separate section of this Web site.

Northwest Mediation & Custody Evaluation Services staff are fully trained neutrals
as defined under Minnesota General Rules of Practice Rule 114,
and proud members of the
NWM&CES is a member of the AFCC