When mediation is ordered by the Jackson County Family Court to address issues of child custody and related parenting issues, a mediator from the court child custody panel is appointed by the Court and the fees paid for mediation are set by the Court. Each party's fee is individually set according to the gross income information provided to the Court on the Form 15, Response to Rule 68.12- Notification of Child Custody and Related Parenting Issues. The fees are determined using the sliding fee scale below.

Parties are required to participate in a minimum of two hours of mediation and to pay the mediator for two hours of mediation before the mediation begins. When mediation addressing child custody and related parenting issues continues beyond the initial two hours, the fee continues to be paid to the mediator at the hourly rate set by the Court.

Each party receives information about the mediation fees in writing before the mediation begins. If a party has an attorney, information about mediation fees is sent to the party and the attorney. If a party(ies) fails to appear for any mediation session without reasonable notice, the Court may award attorney's fees and/or costs or impose any other appropriate sanction by law. (Rule 68.12)