SOWK 556 - Divorce and Family Mediation

Prerequisite

SOWK 551 (Fundamentals of Mediation and Conflict Resolution).

Description

This course begins by presenting an overview of family mediation and dispute resolution and the more specific field of divorce and child custody mediation and continues with knowledge areas necessary to practice divorce and child custody mediation including family dynamics, children in divorce, mediating parenting plans, working with children in mediation, divorce mediation and the law, assets and property division and special issues such as domestic violence, cultural concerns, and extended family rights. This is a theory and practice-based course that combines the presentation and analysis of mediation cases with student interactive role playing sessions. Each role play provides a unique divorce or family scenario with common impasses encountered in mediation.

Instructors

Holly Panetta
(970) 215-5974
holly.panetta@ymail.com

Holly Panetta is an attorney and mediator currently working as Director for the State of Colorado Office of Dispute Resolution. Prior to joining the State office, Ms. Panetta operated in private practice offering Mediation and Child and Family Investigation Services in northern Colorado. As a contract mediator through the state Office of Dispute Resolution, Ms. Panetta mediated more than 300 court-ordered cases per year. These cases included Domestic Relations, Parental Responsibilities, Child Support Enforcement and Dependency and Neglect. She also served as a court-appointed investigator for high conflict divorce and parental responsibility cases.

Prior to opening a solo practice, Ms. Panetta worked as a litigation associate for Henderson, Taylor & Rapp, a law firm in Greeley specializing in family and criminal law. She also served as a Family Court Facilitator in the Colorado Courts.

Ms. Panetta attended law school at the University of Denver and received her Juris Doctor in 2003. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Colorado State University and is a candidate for a Master’s of Science in Human Development and Family Studies.