Florida Mediation Group, Inc.

How to Become A Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator


In order to assist applicants, the Dispute Resolution Center has created a guide which outlines the mediator certification qualifications and application process which can be found at http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/adr/bin/How%20To%20Become%20a%20Mediator.pdf.

Rule 10.100. Certification Requirements


  1. General. For certification as a county court, family, circuit court or dependency mediator, a mediator must be at least 21 years of age, be of good moral character, and have the required number of points for the type of certification sought as specifically required in rule 10.105.

  2. County Court Mediators. For initial certification as a mediator of county court matters, an applicant must have at least a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and 100 points, which shall include:

    1. 30 points for successful completion of a Florida Supreme Court certified county court mediation training program;
    2. 10 points for education; and
    3. 60 points for mentorship.

  3. Family Mediators. For initial certification as a mediator of family and dissolution of marriage issues, an applicant must have at least a bachelor’s degree and 100 points, which shall include, at a minimum:

    1. 30 points for successful completion of a Florida Supreme Court certified family mediation training program;
    2. 25 points for education/mediation experience; and
    3. 30 points for mentorship.

    Additional points above the minimum requirements may be awarded for completion of additional education/mediation experience, mentorship, and miscellaneous activities.

  4. Circuit Court Mediators. For initial certification as a mediator of circuit court matters, other than family matters, an applicant must have at least a bachelor’s degree and 100 points, which shall include, at a minimum:

    1. 30 points for successful completion of a Florida Supreme Court certified circuit mediation training program;
    2. 25 points for education/mediation experience; and
    3. 30 points for mentorship.

    Additional points above the minimum requirements may be awarded for completion of additional education/mediation experience, mentorship, and miscellaneous activities.

  5. Dependency Mediators. For initial certification as a mediator of dependency matters, as defined in Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.290, an applicant must have at least a bachelor’s degree and 100 points, which shall include, at a minimum:

    1. 30 points for successful completion of a Florida Supreme Court certified dependency mediation training program;
    2. 25 points for education/mediation experience; and
    3. 40 points for mentorship.

    Additional points above the minimum requirements may be awarded for completion of additional education/mediation experience, mentorship, and miscellaneous activities.

  6. Senior Judges Serving As Mediators. A senior judge may serve as a mediator in a court-ordered mediation only if certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a mediator for that type of mediation.

  7. Referral for Discipline. If the certification or licensure necessary for any person to be certified as a family or circuit mediator is suspended or revoked, or if the mediator holding such certification or licensure is in any other manner disciplined, such matter shall be referred to the Mediator Qualifications Board for appropriate action pursuant to rule 10.800.

  8. Special Conditions. Mediators who are certified prior to August 1, 2006, shall not be subject to the point requirements for any category of certification in relation to which continuing certification is maintained.

 

Rule 10.105. Point System Categories


  1. Education. Points shall be awarded in accordance with the following schedule (points are only awarded for the highest level of education completed and honorary degrees are not included):

    High School Diploma/GED 10 points
    Associate’s Degree 15 points
    Bachelor’s Degree 20 points
    Master’s Degree 25 points
    Master’s Degree in Conflict Resolution 30 points
    Doctorate (e.g., Ph.D., J.D., M.D., Ed.D., LL.M) 30 points
    Ph.D. from Accredited Conflict Resolution Program 40 points

    An additional five points will be awarded for completion of a graduate level conflict resolution certificate program in an institution which has been accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the American Bar Association, or an entity of equal status.

  2. Mediation Experience. One point per year will be awarded to a Florida Supreme Court certified mediator for each year that mediator has mediated at least 15 cases of any type. In the alternative, a maximum of five points will be awarded to any mediator, regardless of Florida Supreme Court certification, who has conducted a minimum of 100 mediations over a consecutive five-year period.

  3. Mentorship. Ten points will be awarded for each supervised mediation completed of the type for which certification is sought and five points will be awarded for each mediation session of the type for which certification is sought which is observed.

  4. Miscellaneous Points.

    1. Five points shall be awarded to applicants currently licensed or certified in any United States jurisdiction in psychology, accounting, social work, mental health, health care, education, or the practice of law or mediation. Such award shall not exceed a total of five points regardless of the number of licenses or certifications obtained.
    2. Five points shall be awarded for possessing conversational ability in a foreign language as demonstrated by certification by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Test, qualification as a court interpreter, accreditation by the American Translators Association, or approval as a sign language interpreter by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Such award shall not exceed a total of five points regardless of the number of languages in which the applicant is proficient.
    3. Five points shall be awarded for the successful completion of a mediation training program (minimum 30 hours in length) which is certified or approved by a jurisdiction other than Florida and which may not be the required Florida Supreme Court certified mediation training program. Such award shall not exceed five points regardless of the number of training programs completed.
    4. Five points shall be awarded for certification as a mediator by the Florida Supreme Court. Such award shall not exceed five points per category regardless of the number of training programs completed or certifications obtained.

To obtain the Step By Step Guide provided by the Dispute Resolution Center which outline the mediator certification qualifications and application process see "How to Become A Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator" or contact:

Sharon Press, Director
Florida Dispute Resolution Center
Supreme Court Building
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1905
850-921-2910



  Home     About FMG     Schedule     Mediators     Seminars     Articles     Search     Contact  

Web Development by 1st Tech Web Design

Copyright © 1996-2003
Florida Mediation Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

This Document was Last Updated: