Alternative Dispute Resolution
Discover court-provided mediation and arbitration resources designed to facilitate fair, confidential, and cost-effective legal resolutions.
The Mediation and Arbitration Program
Mediation
Mediation is a process in which a trained mediator works with the parties in a dispute to help them develop an agreement on the contested issues in their case. The mediation conference is informal and non-adversarial. All information and communications during mediation are confidential (except as provided by law) and will not be provided to the Court.
The mediator is a neutral and impartial third party who encourages and facilitates resolution of contested issues by helping identify issues, fostering joint problem solving, opening lines of communication, and exploring settlement alternatives. This allows parties to develop their own agreement rather than having a judge decide the issues, often resulting in more expedient and cost-effective resolutions.
The results of the mediation—whether a full agreement, partial agreement, or no settlement—will be provided to the Court, with copies to the partie
Program Types
Family Mediation
When ordered by the Court, or when automatically referred to mediation, parties must participate in family mediation. Family mediation often involves disputes surrounding asset and debt distribution and issues involving child caring, time sharing, support, and/or any other matters regarding the care, safety and stability of children. Most often, these are cases involving paternity, dissolution of marriage, or modification of an existing paternity or dissolution of marriage order, when parties feel a need to change the conditions of the original order.
The Sixth Circuit provides family mediation services at a reduced rate to eligible parties through the Mediation Program. To determine eligibility for such court-provided family mediation service, and the appropriate non-refundable fee each party must pay to the Clerk of Court, each party must submit a current Florida Family Law Financial Affidavit.
Florida Family Law Financial Affidavit
If your income is less than or equal to $50,000 per year, you will need to fill out the Family Law Financial Affidavit Short Form, which can be found at flcourts.gov. Simply type the form number – Form 12.902(b) – into the search engine.
If your income is greater than $50,000 per year, you will need to fill out the Family Law Financial Affidavit Long Form, which can be found at flcourts.gov. Simply type the form number – Form 12.902(c) – into the search engine
Parental Responsibility and Primary Residence of Children
If the family case involves parental responsibility and primary residence of children, the parties must exchange a parenting plan proposal five (5) to seven (7) days before the mediation.
If the case involves child support, the parties must bring a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet to the mediation.
To access the Parenting Plan form, go to flcourts.gov. Simply type the form number – Form 12.995(a) – into the search engine.
To access the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, go to flcourts.gov. Simply type the form number – Form 12.902(e) – into the search engine.
Dependency Mediation
Mediation of dependency cases brings together a Certified Dependency Mediator, the Department of Children and Families, Guardian Ad Litem Program, Attorneys and other parties, as needed, to develop a workable case plan for children and families in the dependency court system.
Dependency Mediation is ordered by a juvenile court judge during court. An Investigator or Case Worker with the Department of Children and Families can provide more information about mediation of dependency court cases. The parties do not pay any fees for dependency mediations.
Circuit Civil Mediation
Circuit civil mediation may be ordered in cases involving claims greater than $50,000 such as auto negligence, breach of contract, malpractice, foreclosures, etc. When referred to the Mediation Program in a circuit civil case, the parties may agree upon a mediator, as well as the date and time for mediation.
The parties pay the mediator directly at the rate agreed upon by the mediator and the parties. Otherwise, the Mediation Program will select the mediator, as well as the date and time for mediation.
County Civil & Small Claims Mediation
County civil mediation may be ordered in cases involving claims of $8,001 to $50,000. These cases often include negligence, monies due, real estate, breach of contract, etc. The Court will determine whether parties have the ability to pay for a private mediation or if the parties are eligible for court-provided mediation, where staff select a county mediator by rotation from the list of court-contracted mediators. Fees owed by the parties for court-provided mediation depend upon the type of case, are non-refundable, and are payable to the Clerk of Court.
Small claims are cases involving disputes of $8,000 or less. These cases often include monies due, landlord tenant disputes, breach of contract, consumer claims, etc. The Sixth Circuit has a small claims pre-trial mediation program where, at the pre-trial conference, contested cases attend mediation with a court-contracted mediator. If the parties do not come to an agreement through the mediation process, they will return to the court for further court hearings or other action. The parties do not pay any fees for the small claims pre-trial mediation program.
Arbitration
Not sure which court program or service applies to your situation? Court staff may be able to direct you to the appropriate resources and information.
The Court may order a contested civil case to nonbinding arbitration through the Arbitration Program. Nonbinding arbitration is a quasi-judicial proceeding where the arbitrator is a finder of fact and applier of law. While the arbitrator functions as judge and jury, the arbitrator’s decision is not binding if the parties subsequently choose to seek a trial. If a party in nonbinding arbitration chooses to seek a trial, the party does so at the risk of having to pay arbitration costs, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, investigation expenses for expert or other testimony which were incurred after the arbitration hearing and continuing through the trial.
The Arbitration Program maintains a list of qualified arbitrators who are approved to arbitrate cases in the Sixth Circuit. For the most recent version of the Sixth Circuit’s Approved Arbitrator List, please call (727) 847-8903 (Pasco) or (727) 464-4932 (Pinellas).
The Court has the authority to assign one arbitrator or a panel of three. When referred to the Arbitration Program in a civil case, the parties may agree upon an arbitrator or arbitrators from the Sixth Circuit’s Approved Arbitrator List, as well as the date and time for arbitration.
The parties pay the arbitrator or arbitrators directly at the rate agreed upon by the parties and the arbitrator or arbitrators. Otherwise, the Arbitration Program will select the arbitrator, as well as the date and time for mediation.
Contact Information
Pasco County
West Pasco Mediation Cases
West Pasco Judicial Center
7530 Little Road, Suite 201
New Port Richey, FL 34654
East Pasco Mediation Cases
Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center
38053 Live Oak Avenue, Suite 124
Dade City, FL 33523
Pinellas County
North County Mediation Cases
Clearwater Courthouse
315 Court Street, Room 401
Clearwater, FL 33756
South County Mediation Cases
St. Petersburg Courthouse
545 1st Ave. N., Room 109
St. Petersburg, FL 33701