A parenting time expeditor (PTE) is defined by Minnesota Statue § 518.1751 as a “neutral person to use a mediation-arbitration process to resolve parenting time disputes.”

The purpose of a PTE is to resolve parenting time disputes by enforcing, interpreting, clarifying, and addressing circumstances not specifically addressed by an existing parenting time order and, if appropriate, to make a determination as to whether the existing parenting time order has been violated.

A parenting time expeditor may be appointed to resolve a onetime parenting time dispute or to provide ongoing parenting time dispute resolution services. The PTE will first try to help the parties reach an agreement. If the parties are unable to resolve the issue with the PTE’s assistance, the Expeditor will make a binding decision resolving the dispute as soon as possible but not later than five days after receiving all information necessary to make a decision and after the final meeting or conference with the parties.

The parenting time expeditor cannot make a decision that changes the existing parenting time order.

After receiving the Court Order appointing the PTE and each party submits any intake paperwork and monetary deposit required by the PTE, the expeditor meets with the parents for an initial intake meeting. After being notified of a dispute, the PTE will meet with the parties within five days. This meeting may be with each party separately or together to understand and try to resolve the issue. If needed, the conference may even take place by telephone.

The expeditor first tries, in a neutral way, to help parties resolve the dispute and reach agreement on the issue. If that doesn’t work, the expeditor will gather all the information needed to make a decision resolving the issue, and then issue that decision within five days.

One important note: the parenting time expeditor is authorized to interpret your parenting time order, but cannot make a decision that conflicts with it, unless you and the other parent explicitly agree to such a decision.

In addition to getting issues resolved more quickly, a parenting time expeditor can also save parents money. For disputes resolved by an expeditor, the expense of hiring an attorney to prepare and file a motion, then argue it in court, is eliminated.

Parenting time expeditors also help preserve your privacy. Rather than having your lawyer argue about your conflict in open court, you discuss the matter privately with the parenting time expeditor. Only the final decision becomes part of the court record. The discussion and analysis of the information presented are not disclosed.

Finally, the quick turnaround time for the resolution of the dispute reduces the stress of escalating conflict, waiting for the court date, and then possibly waiting for a judge to render a decision.