| Qualifications
for Certification
In
order to receive referrals directly from the courts, a mediator
must be certified by the Florida Supreme Court. The qualifications
are established in rule 10.100, Florida Rules for Certified and
Court-Appointed Mediators. In addition, under rule 1.720(f), Florida
Rules of Civil Procedure, the parties to mediation have ten days
from the court's order of referral to mediation to agree upon a
stipulation with the court designating a mediator. During this ten
day period, they are free to select a certified or non-certified
mediator who is otherwise qualified by training or experience to
mediate all or some of the issues in the particular case. The selection
of a non-certified mediator is subject to review by the presiding
judge. The following is a reprint from the Florida Rules for Certified
and Court-Appointed Mediators:
PART
I. MEDIATOR QUALIFICATIONS
RULE 10.100 GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS
(a) County Court Mediators. For certification a mediator of county
court matters must be certified as a circuit court or family mediator
or:
- complete a minimum
of 20 hours in a training program certified by the supreme court;
- observe a minimum
of four county court mediation conferences conducted by a court-certified
mediator and conduct four county court mediation conferences under
the supervision and observation of a court-certified mediator;
and
- be of good moral
character.
(b) Family Mediators. For certification a mediator
of family and dissolution of marriage issues must:
- complete a minimum
of 40 hours in a family mediation training program certified by
the supreme court;
- have a master's
degree or doctorate in social work, mental health, or behavioral
or social sciences; be a physician certified to practice adult
or child psychiatry; or be an attorney or a certified public accountant
licensed to practice in any United States jurisdiction; and have
at least 4 years practical experience in one of the aforementioned
fields or have 8 years family mediation experience with a minimum
of 10 mediations per year;
- observe two family
mediations conducted by a certified family mediator and conduct
two family mediations under the supervision and observation of
a certified family mediator; and
- be of good moral
character.
(c) Circuit Court Mediators. For certification a mediator
of circuit court matters, other than family matters, must:
- complete a minimum
of 40 hours in a circuit court mediation training program certified
by the supreme court;
- be a member in
good standing of The Florida Bar with at least five years of Florida
practice and be an active member of The Florida Bar within 1 year
of application for certification; or be a retired trial judge
from any United States jurisdiction who was a member in good standing
of the bar in the state in which the judge presided for at least
5 years immediately preceding the year certification is sought;
- observe 2 circuit
court mediations conducted by a certified circuit mediator and
conduct 2 circuit mediations under the supervision and observation
of a certified circuit court mediator; and
- be of good moral
character.
(d) Dependency Mediators. For certification a mediator
of dependency matters, as defined in Florida Rules for Juvenile Procedure
8.290(a) must:
- complete a supreme
court certified dependency mediation training program as follows:
A. 40 hours if the
applicant is not a certified family mediator or is a certified
family mediator who has not mediated at least 4 dependency cases;
or
- B. 20 hours
if the applicant is a certified family mediator who has
mediated at least 4 dependency cases; and
- have a master's
degree or doctorate in social work, mental health, behavioral
sciences or social sciences; or be a physician licensed to practice
adult or child psychiatry or pediatrics; or be an attorney licensed
to practice in any United States jurisdiction; and
- have 4 years experience
in family and/or dependency issues or be a licensed mental health
professional with at least 4 years practical experience or be
a supreme court certified family or circuit mediator with a minimum
of 20 mediations; and
- observe 4 dependency
mediations conducted by a certified dependency mediator and conduct
2 dependency mediations under the supervision and observation
of a certified dependency mediator; and
- be of good moral
character.
(e) Special Conditions. Mediators who have been duly
certified as circuit court or family mediators before July 1, 1990,
shall be deemed qualified as circuit court or family mediators pursuant
to these rules. Certified family mediators who have mediated a minimum
of 4 dependency cases prior to July 1, 1997, shall be granted temporary
certification and may continue to mediate dependency matters for no
more than 1 year from the time that a training program pursuant to
subdivision (d)(1)(B) is certified by the supreme court.
Such mediators shall be deemed qualified to apply for certification
as dependency mediators upon successful completion of the requirements
of subdivision (d)(1)(B) and (d)(5) of this rule.
Circuit Mediation Training
Dispute Management,
Inc. (800) 541-7855 (Orlando)
Florida Mediation Academy, Inc. (904) 533-2405 (Starke)
Perry Itkin (954) 567-9746 (Fort Lauderdale)
The John Paul Jones Group (727) 898-7788 (St. Petersburg)
Mediation Services, Inc. (305) 971-3556 (Miami)
USF Conflict Resolution Collaborative (800) 852-5362 (Tampa)
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