Pursuant to rule 10.140, Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators, Operating Procedures and Authority, the Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules and Policy (ADRR&P) adopted  Operating Procedures (OP) Governing the Certification of Mediators . These OP are effective November 1, 2021, and supersede any conflicting provisions In re: Procedures Governing Certification of Mediators, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC19-26 (May 28, 2019).

The Operating Procedures contain numerous revisions to the certification and renewal processes, including, but not limited to:

  1. Timeframes for certification background screenings have been extended through December 31, 2022.
  2. Mentorship continues to include both in-person and remote proceedings, and electronic signatures will continue to be accepted on mentorship forms.
  3. The requirement that 50% of continuing mediator education (CME) be conducted in a live format has been rescinded.
  4. Mentorship CME has been increased from a maximum of four hours to a maximum of eight hours.
  5. Mediators will only be required to complete 16 hours of CME regardless of how many certifications are held. The OP rescinds the “applicable to” language and revises the CME Reporting Form accordingly.
  6. Mediators may begin earning CME hours for their next renewal cycle upon submission of the mediator’s completed renewal form, renewal fees, and required CME hours for the previous cycle.
  7. An inactive status has been created and allows a mediator’s certification to remain inactive for up to five years.
  8. Procedures for lapsed certifications have been rewritten in their entirety. Mediators are eligible to renew their certifications up to a maximum of five years after lapse.
  9. New procedures for inactive and lapsed certifications are retroactive.

Questions can be directed to DRCmail@flcourts.org.