An evaluation of remote child custody mediation in San Mateo County, California

• Published date: 01 April 2024
• Author: Daisy Ni
• Date: 01 April 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12782

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

An evaluation of remote child custody mediation

in San Mateo County, California

Daisy Ni

Superior Court of California, County of

San Mateo, Redwood City, California, USA

Correspondence

Daisy Ni, Superior Court of California, County

of San Mateo, Redwood City, California, USA.

Email: daisy.ni@gmail.com

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced courts to virtualize pro-

ceedings almost overnight, resulting in both an array of new

technological tools as well as important questions about

their long-term effects. This article studies the impact of

the shift from in-person to remote child custody and visita-

tion mediation in San Mateo County, California. Through

surveys with parents, interviews with mediators and

parents, and participation and outcome data, it captures the

early experiences and results associated with remote medi-

ation. The findings suggest that while remote mediation can

offer benefits such as accessibility, comfort, and safety,

other challenges persist. The study seeks to enable courts

to better understand the obstacles and opportunities that

arise from online platforms and inform future policy-making

on the use of technology in their practices.

KEYWORDS

child custody and visitation, mediation, family court, children,

access to justice, California

Key points for the family court community

•Administrative data from the first two years of the pan-

demic indicated that participation rates increased while

agreement rates decreased after mediation sessions

became remote.

•Benefits of remote mediation most commonly cited by

parents and counselors included greater convenience,

comfort, and safety.

DOI: 10.1111/fcre.12782

© 2024 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

Family Court Rev. 2024;62:359–371. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fcre 359