Task force hears Minnesota approach: early case management, expediters and mediation to reduce custody disputes

A former Minnesota judicial referee told the Child Custody Review Task Force that a menu of early‑intervention practices — including early case management conferences, evaluative mediation, parenting time expediters and parenting coordinators — reduces repeated family law filings and unclear court orders that often fuel enforcement disputes.

"The goal with what I'm gonna be talking about here is to issue clear effective orders, which minimize the chance of conflict," said Jim Streeter, who described Minnesota practices for early case management, confidential early neutral evaluations and hybrid ADR models. Streeter said most…