Family law: complaints.

Existing law governs family law proceedings. Existing law authorizes or requires, as specified, the court to appoint various professionals to assist in these proceedings, including counsel for the minor, mediators, and child custody evaluators, among others. This bill would direct the Judicial Council, in consultation with judicial personnel, family law experts, and advocates to, on or before January 1, 2012, adopt a rule of court to establish a uniform, statewide procedure for handling and responding to complaints regarding family law experts employed or appointed by the court, including mediators, evaluators, investigators, special masters, and minor's counsel, as specified. The bill would require the Judicial Council to develop a timetable for completion of the complaint process to ensure that all complaints are resolved as expeditiously as possible, and to develop a list of appropriate responses to substantiated complaints. The bill would provide that a complainant shall not be retaliated against for having made a complaint. The bill would require the local complaint coordinator to maintain sufficient information about each complaint and its disposition to identify any history or patterns of complaints submitted and shall report annually on complaints received and their disposition to the Judicial Council. The bill would require the Judicial Council to report to the Legislature, on or before February 1, 2013, until January 1, 2017, and then annually thereafter, on the complaint procedure, including whether it is being fully implemented locally, data on the number of complaints and their disposition, information on patterns of complaints, and any modifications made to the rule of court. The bill would also require the Judicial Council, on or before January 1, 2012, to develop forms, information sheets, and other resources necessary to ensure the complaints process is easily accessible to the parties. The bill would require information on the complaint process to be provided to parties and their attorneys, and to be made available at the court self-help centers.