Pursuant to Maricopa County Superior Court Local Rule 6.5 and Rule 66(B)(5) of the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure, open negotiation is a process of non-confidential negotiations between the parties conducted by a neutral third party (the Conciliator) to attempt to resolve their dispute. All information presented or gathered is not confidential, any disputed issues are reported to the court and may be used by Conciliation Services or any court-appointed evaluator for any subsequent family assessment or evaluation. Pursuant to Maricopa County Superior Court Local Rule 6.5, Family Court cases that involve a controversy over legal decision-making or parenting time shall be subject to mediation or open negotiation regarding those issues, but may be exempt if one or both of the parties is represented by a lawyer.
