Child custody mediation in Las Vegas is usually a required step before a judge decides a contested custody case. Parents generally mediate through the court’s Family Mediation Center (FMC) or a private mediator. FMC works by phone and covers parenting issues such as the weekly schedule and holidays.
If you reach an agreement, it isn’t enforceable until a judge signs it and it’s filed in your case. If you don’t, the judge decides.
Please read: Family Court Help Line is not a law firm, not the court, and not part of the Family Mediation Center. We do not provide legal advice. This article explains published court rules, Nevada statutes, and public court procedure. It is not a substitute for a licensed Nevada attorney, and nothing here predicts or guarantees what a court will order.
What Is the Family Mediation Center in Las Vegas?
FMC is the custody mediation service of the Eighth Judicial District Court, which serves all of Clark County. Its office is at 601 North Pecos Road, Building B (Door #1). But you can’t book FMC on your own. Its official page says its services require a court order.
A neutral mediator guides the conversation and suggests options, while the parents control the outcome. FMC says mediation isn’t counseling or an attempt to reconcile. Mediators don’t give legal advice and can’t enforce agreements or court orders.
Under EDCR 1.47, FMC mediators need a law degree or a relevant master’s degree. They also need three years of custody mediation experience and 60 hours of custody and divorce mediation training. At least 4 of those hours must cover domestic violence.
Is Custody Mediation Required in Clark County?
Generally, yes. Nevada law requires the district court in every county of 700,000 or more people to run a mandatory custody and visitation mediation program (NRS 3.475). Clark County’s court carries it out through local rule EDCR 5.306.
Under that rule, unless the court orders otherwise, all parties to a contested custody case must attend mediation before the judge decides custody. They can use FMC or a private mediator. Two details matter:
- The judge can refer you at any time, at a parent’s request or on the court’s own motion.
- The parent asking for custody has to act. In a pending custody case, that parent must start mediation or ask for an exemption.
Exceptions, Including Domestic Violence
The court may waive mediation in individual cases involving child abuse or domestic violence issues (EDCR 5.306). It may also waive it when a parent lives out of state or for other good cause. NRS 3.475 also lists parents already in private mediation as a reason to exclude a case.
A waiver isn’t automatic. A parent asks at the case management conference or by motion, as early as practicable, and explains why mediation isn’t appropriate. FMC must also screen for cases that are inappropriate for mediation or need special protections, before the parents have any contact in mediation.
If you are in danger right now, call 911. Domestic violence protection orders for family members and dating partners go through Family Court, and the court’s protection orders page explains where to start.
How FMC Mediation Gets Scheduled
Once the judge orders mediation, email FMC three things:
- Your phone number
- Your gross monthly income
- The language you need, if it isn’t English
The address is FMC@clarkcountycourts.us. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (702) 455-4186.
What Happens at Custody Mediation?
FMC conducts mediation “via alternate means,” and its FAQ refers to “your telephonic mediation,” so plan on a phone session. Each parent must have privacy throughout. FMC prohibits recording the session and driving during it.
The mediator guides the conversation and helps both parents find common ground in the child’s best interest. Mediation generally covers five issues:
- Legal custody: how you’ll make major decisions about health, education, welfare, and religious upbringing
- Timeshare: the regular weekly schedule
- Holidays: how your child spends each holiday
- Vacation: how many vacation days each parent gets, and how much written notice to give
- Transportation: how your child gets from one home to the other
What Mediation Won’t Cover
Unless the order for mediation says otherwise, FMC can’t address money. That means no terms on child support, spousal support, fees and allowances, exclusive possession of a home, or anything else involving money a parent must pay (EDCR 5.306). For support questions, see how Nevada child support is calculated.
Can a Lawyer Attend Custody Mediation?
Yes. A lawyer who represents you may attend unless the court orders otherwise. If you or your lawyer asks, any agreement the mediator produces goes to your lawyer too.
Is Custody Mediation Confidential?
Mostly. Under EDCR 5.306, mediation is private and confidential except where another rule, statute, or court order requires otherwise. NRS 3.475 also requires the program to bar mediators from telling the court anything about the mediation except whether the parents resolved the dispute.
The mediator does send the court a written report. It says you reached a full or partial parenting agreement (and includes it), reached an impasse, or that a parent failed to appear or refused to participate.
Mediators also can’t evaluate either parent or make recommendations as part of mediation. So in general, the judge won’t hear who said what, but will hear whether you took part.
What Does Custody Mediation Cost?
Unless the court waives it, FMC assesses each parent a fee on a sliding scale based on that parent’s own income. Nevada law requires a sliding scale tied to ability to pay (NRS 3.475). FMC’s page doesn’t publish dollar amounts, so ask the office for yours.
If you receive public assistance, email FMC a copy of your eligibility letter, and FMC may waive your fee if it approves. Under EDCR 5.306, parents who meet minimum income requirements get a waiver upon verification of their benefits. One catch: you must pay any unpaid FMC fees in full before FMC starts further services.
How to Prepare for Child Custody Mediation in Las Vegas
FMC’s advice: have several proposals ready, not just the one you want most. Consider the other parent’s ideas without rejecting them on reflex or interrupting. Keep your emotions in check and your focus on your child, not the other parent.
Make Every Proposal Specific
Vague terms invite fights later. When an order gives a parent a limited right of custody, Nevada law requires it to list all specific times and other terms (NRS 125C.0045). The terms must be absolute, not words like “reasonable.” Draft your proposals the same way.
The weekly schedule
FMC calls the regular schedule the most important issue the court wants resolved. Write out which days and overnights your child spends in each home, with exchange times.
Holidays and vacation
List the holidays your family celebrates and propose who has each one. Add a number of vacation days for each parent and a written-notice period.
Decisions and exchanges
Think through how you’d share choices about school, health care, and religion. Then propose exchange times and places that fit both homes and your child’s routine.
What to Have in Front of You
- Your order for mediation and your case number
- A calendar with your child’s school year, breaks, and activities
- Your written proposals for each topic
- A private, quiet room and a charged phone
Want to talk through your proposals before the call? Call Family Court Help Line at (702) 609-3688. We can walk you through FMC’s steps and what comes after, but we can’t tell you what to agree to or predict a ruling.
What Happens After Custody Mediation?
If You Reach an Agreement
The mediator sends your agreement to the court. FMC is clear that a parenting agreement isn’t a court order, or enforceable, until the judge signs it and it’s filed in your case. If you settle only some issues, the judge decides the rest.
If You Don’t Agree
The mediator reports an impasse, and the judge makes the final decision. In FMC’s words, parents then “lose control of the outcome.”
For physical custody, the child’s best interest is the court’s sole consideration (NRS 125C.0035). Factors the judge must address include the parents’ level of conflict and their ability to cooperate to meet the child’s needs. The child’s physical, developmental, and emotional needs are on the list too. The statute also bars preferring either parent just for being the mother or the father.
The Return Hearing
If the court sets a return-from-mediation hearing, attend it. EDCR 5.608 requires parties to attend returns from mediation, even with a lawyer, unless the court directs otherwise. Our guide on how to prepare for a family court hearing in Las Vegas covers what to bring and what to expect. If your order stops fitting your family later, see how to modify a child custody order in Las Vegas.
Custody Mediation FAQ
Do I have to go to custody mediation if there is domestic violence?
Not necessarily. Under EDCR 5.306, a judge may waive mediation when a case involves child abuse or domestic violence issues, but the waiver isn’t automatic. A parent asks at the case management conference or by motion, as early as practicable, and explains why mediation is inappropriate. FMC must also screen cases before any contact between the parents in mediation.
Does the custody mediator make a recommendation to the judge?
No. EDCR 5.306 bars mediators from evaluating parents or making recommendations. The mediator’s written report tells the court whether you reached a full or partial agreement or an impasse, and it names any parent who failed to appear or refused to participate. Beyond that, the session stays confidential unless another rule, statute, or court order requires disclosure.
What happens if parents don’t agree in custody mediation?
The mediator reports an impasse, and the judge decides the issues you couldn’t settle. Under NRS 125C.0035, the child’s best interest is the court’s sole consideration for physical custody. The factors include the parents’ level of conflict and ability to cooperate. If the court sets a return-from-mediation hearing, you must attend unless the court directs otherwise.
When to Get Help With Custody Mediation
Family Court Help Line explains court process, forms, and hearing logistics for parents on either side of a Las Vegas custody case. Learn how Family Court Help Line helps with Las Vegas family court, or browse our guide to Clark County family court services. Served with a custody motion? Read how to respond to a motion in Clark County Family Court.
Call Family Court Help Line at (702) 609-3688. Tell us where your case stands, and we’ll walk you through the FMC process, the paperwork, and the return hearing. We serve both parents, and we can’t give legal advice or promise an outcome.
Disclaimer: Family Court Help Line is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or representation. We are not the Eighth Judicial District Court or its Family Mediation Center. We checked the rules, statutes, and procedures above against official sources on October 26, 2026, and they can change. We make no promise or guarantee about the outcome of any case, so for advice on your situation, consult a licensed Nevada attorney.
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