This paper describes a grassroots effort by one mid-sized midwestern community which led to the development of a voluntary cooperative network of community service providers offering court-referred divorce mediation services to highly conflicted divorcing families. Issues addressed in this paper are: (1) the difference between a court-referred service and a voluntary private practice service, and which would be more effective; (2) whether the number of divorcing families using the litigation process was sufficient to justify a court-connected program; (3) the legal basis for court-mandated mediation; (4) structuring an effective program; and (5) program evaluation. Included are lists of questions, concerns about the program, suggestions for improvement, and opinions about the best aspects of the program from attorneys. The paper concludes that the court-referred divorce mediation program has been quite successful and should continue without significant changes at this time. Appended are a set of standards and procedures for the divorce mediation, a program termination record and other relevant forms, case review procedures, a summary of records, and a divorce mediation program flyer. (NB)