Mediation is a conflict-resolution process in which an impartial mediator assists the participants to negotiate a settlement that is satisfactory to all participants. The Family Mediation Unit in the 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida is a court-connected family mediation program. The Unit supports the Judges in the Civil, Family Law and Juvenile Dependency Divisions by providing pre-trial alternative dispute resolution services to litigants who are involved in family law and dependency cases that have disputed issues.
The goals of the Family Mediation Unit are to:
- ensure that alternative resolution services are available to litigants with limited income;
- provide an efficient and economical alternative to resolving contested issues in family law and dependency cases filed with the court;
- provide litigants with an opportunity to negotiate a settlement agreement in a non-adversarial environment;
- reduce the financial and emotional costs of litigation; and
- to support mediation and alternative dispute programs in the community.
Any self-represented (pro se) litigant who files a family law case will be referred by the court to the Family Mediation Unit for mediation if there are contested issues involved in the case. If disputed issues are resolved or partially resolved by the parties at the conclusion of the mediation, an agreement will be signed which will be included in the court file.