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A guide through judicial maze Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Ann Schroeder, who manages the Jackson County Family Court Facilitation Center, discusses family court proceedings with a visitor in her office inside the Jackson County Justice Building. Family Court program helps on 'human level' By JILL BRISKEY When people walk into Ann Schroeder's office inside the Justice Building, it's usually on the heels of an emotional upheaval. Sometimes it's someone seeking to end a marriage; others times it's one parent fighting the other for custody of the children. It was a painful divorce that brought Medford resident Kathy Ryan face-to-face with Schroeder, the manager of the Family Court Facilitation Program. "I didn't have a job, I didn't know what to do," Ryan said. "It was costing me money, and there was all this paperwork." The free program, designed to help people struggling with family court proceedings, is funded through the state and has been operating for almost a year in Medford. Like an estimated 85 percent of people involved in family-related issues with the Jackson County court system, Ryan had no legal representation. Unable to afford a lawyer, Ryan was spending money on forms she didn't know how to fill out, dragging out legal proceedings and getting lost in the system. With Schroeder's help, Ryan was able to quickly end her seven-year marriage by using a program that is designed, more or less, for less complicated cases. Schroeder said she's not a lawyer but a "facilitator" and therefore can't offer legal advice. Instead, Schroeder makes referrals, presents and explains various options and helps people find and file necessary forms. It's a complicated legal maze for many people, she added, one that usually has an emotional impact. "This is not a fun place to be. Nobody here has anything fun happening," Schroeder said. "In spite of the process and procedures that are required, each case has its own life and each one is personal." Jackson County Judge Rebecca Orf often urges people to seek help from the Family Court Facilitation Center, and said she is pleased by the way Schroeder helps fill in the legal gaps for residents. "Ann is not a lawyer. Her assistance is not a substitute for legal advice," Orf said. "The fact of the matter is people are proceeding without lawyers. ... We were finding a lot of people were floundering and not able to pursue family matters." Jim Adams, chair of the Jackson County Commission on Children and Families, said the program has other benefits. Often women will end a marriage and not ask their husbands for any financial support for their children, he said. The program helps soon-to-be single parents learn their rights and options, and could keep children out of poverty, Adams added. "It's easy for the public to get misinformation or get lost in the system. Children and families are our biggest issues," Adams said. "With (the program) we've been able to work with people on a human level." Schroeder said the program, which she manages by herself, isn't an immediate solution for people with legal woes. It's just a way to navigate through the system. "I can't fix anything. I can I help. I can give options," Schroeder said. "Everyone has their turn in court, everyone has their case heard." Orf said Jackson County is working with the Oregon State Bar in hopes of making a lawyer available in the courthouse to offer advice. The process could take a few years, she added. "There is a lot that has to be done to process (family court) cases," Orf said. "I think people are very relieved to know there's somewhere they can go." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.