42 Rule 8 Complaint Process; Removal from Panel of Qualified Parent Coordinators

(a) All complaints concerning a parent coordinator or the parent coordination program from litigants, judges, court personnel, or attorneys involved in a parent coordination case shall be referred to the Vermont Family Court Mediation Program. The program shall provide a complaint form and request that the complaint be made in writing.

(b) The program manager shall investigate the complaint and review the complaint with the parent coordinator and the parent coordination supervisor. The program manager shall determine the appropriate response to the complaint which may include, in the program manager’s discretion, a requirement that the parent coordinator engage in a specific number of hours of professional development, training, or case supervision; removal of the coordinator from a particular case; or temporary suspension or permanent removal of the coordinator from the panel established pursuant to Rule 1 of this order.

(c) If the program manager recommends that a parent coordinator be permanently removed from the panel of qualified parent coordinators, the recommendation shall be referred to the Supreme Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Oversight Committee, which shall make a final recommendation to the Court Administrator. The Court Administrator shall make the final decision with respect to the removal of a parent coordinator from the panel. The decision of the Court Administrator shall be final.

(d) The program manager shall from time to time report to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Oversight Committee regarding the nature and type of complaints that have been made concerning the program.