MI-Resolve Family System helps to addresses parenting time issues

The Michigan Supreme Court (MSC) last Friday announced the new MI-Resolve Family System, a free, online platform that will help families throughout the state resolve parenting time and other domestic relations matters typically filed in circuit courts. Each of the MSC’s 16 Community Dispute Resolution Program (CDRP) centers will administer the MI-Resolve Family System in their respective regions.

“Instead of having to take time out of their busy schedules to travel to court or the nearest CDRP center, families now have the option of resolving parenting time disputes online,” said Chief Justice Elizabeth T. Clement. “The MI-Resolve Family System turns what can feel like a daunting process for many families into a much more convenient and streamlined way of navigating an important issue.”

The MI-Resolve Family System is recommended for cases involving the creation or modification of parenting time plans, including issues relating to weekends, holidays, mid-week parenting time, drop-off and pick-up scheduling, school vacation periods, daycare selection/schedules, and children’s extracurricular activities.

How the MI-Resolve Family System works:

• Local CDRP center staff will talk to both parties of cases referred to determine whether mediation through the MI-Resolve Family System is appropriate. If the case is found suitable for online mediation, CDRP center staff will invite the parties to a private portal where a trained mediator will work with them to reach an agreement.

• MI-Resolve provides a secure, text-based conversation space that can be accessed 24/7 throughout the process using smartphones, laptops or tablets, and parties receive e-mail and text alerts when new messages are posted. The system does not allow party-to-party private messaging, and contact information including the email addresses used to access the system are not shared with the other party.

• Families work together to create new parenting time agreements, revise current agreements, or create a parenting time plan to make up missed time with the help of a trained mediator.

• If parties are reluctant to use the online service or their case is not appropriate for the online platform, the CDRP centers may still be available to assist with the matter in another forum, either virtually or in person.

Interested parents can call their local Community Dispute Resolution Center or their Friend of the Court if they would like to explore using MI-Resolve Family System to resolve their dispute.

To learn more about CDRP centers, visit www.courts.michigan.gov/administration/offices/office-of-dispute-resolution/CDRP.

To learn more about MI-Resolve online dispute resolution, visit www.courts.michigan.gov/administration/offices/office-of-dispute-resolution/mi-resolve.