{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/20-124.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/20-124.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/20-124.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/20-124.4.html"}],"law_id":76609,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76609,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.4","catch_line":"Mediation","history":"1994, c. 769; 2000, c. 768; 2016, c. 507.","full_text":"A\n\nIn any appropriate case the court shall refer the parents or persons with a legitimate interest to a dispute resolution orientation session to be conducted by a mediator certified pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the Judicial Council at no cost and in accordance with the procedures set out in Chapter 20.2 (§ 8.01-576.4 et seq.) of Title 8.01. In assessing the appropriateness of a referral, the court shall ascertain upon motion of a party whether there is a history of family abuse. If an agreement is not reached on any issue through further mediation as agreed to by the parties, prior to the return date set by the court pursuant to § 8.01-576.5, the court shall proceed with a hearing on any unresolved issue, unless a continuance has been granted by the court.B\n\nThe fee of the mediator shall be $100 per appointment mediated and shall be paid by the Commonwealth from the funds appropriated for payment of appointments made pursuant to subsection B of § 16.1-267. Any referral that includes both (i) custody or visitation and (ii) child or spousal support shall be considered two separate appointments.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":275029,"text":"In any appropriate case the court shall refer the parents or persons with a legitimate interest to a dispute resolution orientation session to be conducted by a mediator certified pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the Judicial Council at no cost and in accordance with the procedures set out in Chapter 20.2 (§ 8.01-576.4 et seq.) of Title 8.01. In assessing the appropriateness of a referral, the court shall ascertain upon motion of a party whether there is a history of family abuse. If an agreement is not reached on any issue through further mediation as agreed to by the parties, prior to the return date set by the court pursuant to § 8.01-576.5, the court shall proceed with a hearing on any unresolved issue, unless a continuance has been granted by the court.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":275030,"text":"The fee of the mediator shall be $100 per appointment mediated and shall be paid by the Commonwealth from the funds appropriated for payment of appointments made pursuant to subsection B of § 16.1-267. Any referral that includes both (i) custody or visitation and (ii) child or spousal support shall be considered two separate appointments.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14970,"edition_id":1,"name":"Custody and Visitation Arrangements for Minor Children","identifier":"6.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12711,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:10","permalink":{"id":179165,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14970,"identifier":"6.1","token":"20\/6.1","url":"\/20\/6.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12711,"edition_id":1,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":178075,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12711,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":60825,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/20-124.1\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.1","metadata":false},{"id":57103,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.2","catch_line":"Court-ordered custody and visitation arrangements","url":"\/20-124.2\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.2","metadata":false},{"id":84426,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.2:1","catch_line":"In camera interviews of child; record","url":"\/20-124.2_1\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":72356,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.3","catch_line":"Best interests of the child; visitation","url":"\/20-124.3\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.3","metadata":false},{"id":59997,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.3:1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-124.3_1\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.3_1","metadata":false},{"id":76609,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.4","catch_line":"Mediation","url":"\/20-124.4\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.4","metadata":false},{"id":59969,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.5","catch_line":"Notification of relocation","url":"\/20-124.5\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.5","metadata":false},{"id":77145,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.6","catch_line":"Access to minor's records","url":"\/20-124.6\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.6","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59997,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.3:1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-124.3_1\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.3_1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":59969,"structure_id":14970,"section_number":"20-124.5","catch_line":"Notification of relocation","url":"\/20-124.5\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.5","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-124.4\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1994. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 769<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2000, chapter 768<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 507<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":72205,"section_number":"16.1-267","catch_line":"Compensation of appointed counsel","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-267\/"},{"id":83325,"section_number":"8.01-576.4","catch_line":"Scope and definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-576.4\/"},{"id":55196,"section_number":"8.01-576.5","catch_line":"Referral of disputes to dispute resolution proceedings","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-576.5\/"}],"permalink":{"id":179187,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76609,"identifier":"20-124.4","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.4","url":"\/20-124.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-124.4\/","token":"20\/6.1\/20-124.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Mediation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-124.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> In any appropriate case the court<\/span> shall refer the parents or persons with a legitimate interest to a dispute resolution orientation session to be conducted by a mediator certified pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the Judicial Council at no cost and in accordance with the procedures set out in Chapter 20.2 (§ 8.01-576.4<\/a> et seq.) of Title 8.01. In assessing the appropriateness of a referral, the court<\/span> shall ascertain upon motion<\/span> of a party<\/span> whether there is a history of family abuse. If an agreement is not reached on any issue<\/span> through further mediation as agreed to by the parties, prior to the return date set by the court<\/span> pursuant to § 8.01-576.5<\/a>, the court<\/span> shall proceed with a hearing<\/span> on any unresolved issue<\/span>, unless a continuance<\/span> has been granted by the court<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The fee of the mediator shall be $100 per appointment mediated and shall be paid by the Commonwealth from the funds appropriated for payment of appointments made pursuant to subsection B of § 16.1-267<\/a>. Any referral that includes both (i) custody<\/span> or visitation and (ii) child or spousal support shall be considered two separate appointments. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMEDIATION (\u00a7 20-124.4)\n\nA. In any appropriate case the court shall refer the parents or persons with a\nlegitimate interest to a dispute resolution orientation session to be conducted\nby a mediator certified pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the Judicial\nCouncil at no cost and in accordance with the procedures set out in Chapter 20.2\n(§ 8.01-576.4 et seq.) of Title 8.01. In assessing the appropriateness of a\nreferral, the court shall ascertain upon motion of a party whether there is a\nhistory of family abuse. If an agreement is not reached on any issue through\nfurther mediation as agreed to by the parties, prior to the return date set by\nthe court pursuant to § 8.01-576.5, the court shall proceed with a hearing\non any unresolved issue, unless a continuance has been granted by the court.\n\nB. The fee of the mediator shall be $100 per appointment mediated and shall be\npaid by the Commonwealth from the funds appropriated for payment of appointments\nmade pursuant to subsection B of § 16.1-267. Any referral that includes\nboth (i) custody or visitation and (ii) child or spousal support shall be\nconsidered two separate appointments.\n\nHISTORY: 1994, c. 769; 2000, c. 768; 2016, c. 507.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}