A. When ordered on a case by case basis, and, where there is a minor child or children born or adopted of the marriage, aged six (6) years through seventeen (17) years (“subject children”), a dissolution of marriage shall not be entered until the parties and subject children have attended and participated in Families in Transition.

B. The Attorney for Petitioner or any unrepresented petitioner shall be required upon filing a marriage dissolution action to file a separate notice to the Court advising the Court that there is a minor child or children born or adopted during the marriage who are 6-17 years of age. The Petitioner's attorney or any unrepresented Petitioner shall tender with the notice an order for consideration with the Court directing that the parties engage in Families in Transition training. The Court shall consider directing the parties to attend Families in Transition training on a case by case basis. The Families in Transition training may be satisfied by attending the Families in Transition program in the First Circuit or such similar program as may be available in any contiguous Circuit to the First Circuit, or such other training as may be approved by the Court on a case by case basis, all taking into consideration the best interest of the children.

C. If a party refuses or fails to attend the training, or if the custodial parent refuses or fails to have the children attend the training, the Court may make such orders in regard to the failure or refusal as are just, which may include the following: a) an order refusing to assign a date for final adjudication of the divorce until the party requesting the dissolution attends the training; b) an order declining to set or enforce temporary or permanent visitation rights for the non-compliant party until the non-compliant party attends the training; c) an order reserving the granting or approval of temporary or final custody; and d) in lieu of any of the foregoing orders or in addition thereto, an order treating as a contempt of Court the failure to obey an order to attend the training.

D. Each party shall bring his or her case number to the training so that his or her attendance can be properly identified.

E. Parties seeking a dissolution must submit evidence to the Court that they and their subject children have attended this Families in Transition training by filing with the Clerk a certificate of attendance given by the trainer.

F. The Petitioner must file his or her certificate of attendance prior to, or at the time of, filing documents for a final hearing. The Respondent shall file his or her certificate of attendance prior to the final hearing. The certificate of attendance of the subject children shall be filed prior to the hearing.