Florida Mediation Statistics

The Florida State Court System consists of 20 judicial circuits that includes Florida's 67 counties. The Supreme Court of Florida, through the Dispute Resolution Center, offers certification for mediators in the areas of county, family, circuit, dependency and appellate cases.

As of January 2021, there were 5,513 individuals certified as mediators. The breakdown by certification is as follows:

1,927 certified county mediators
2,199 certified family mediators
3,144 certified circuit mediators
211 certified dependency mediators
431 certified appellate mediators

In fiscal year 2009-2010, statistics were reported from the following ADR programs:

8 Citizen Dispute Settlement Centers (CDS)
54 County Mediation Programs
64 Family Mediation Programs
47 Dependency Mediation Programs
1 Appellate Mediation Programs
8 Non-Binding Arbitration Programs

According to the Citizen Dispute Settlement (CDS) case load, case types and percentages fiscal year 2009-2010, there were many cases in major counties that were referred and mediated in Florida. For instance the case types included animal control, consumer, contract, employee/employer, landlord/tenant, neighborhood dispute, nuisance, auto repair, property damage, juvenile restitution, recovery money/ property, criminal worthless checks, other homeowner association, other lein for negligent wrongful act, and victim/offender. The types of cases that were taken by the CDS are significant to the work that mediators do across the state of Florida.

During the fiscal year (FY) 2009-2010 the 54 court-connected county mediation programs operating in Florida mediated over 64,000 small claims cases (case valued up to $5,000) at that time. In that same year there were 25,535 small claims cases resolved and 1,733 county civil cases resolved.

In recent history, we can see a trend of mediation cases that are referred to an out of court settlement. There are less mediation cases that were mediated between the two parties and cases resolved from the original cases referred to alternative dispute resolution. ADR is an option that unions and coalitions have decided to pursue in cases of employee/employer disputes, neighborhood disputes, consumer disputes and contract disputes. For instance, in the 2009-2010 report the highest number of cases in various counties were in contract, consumer cases and recovery money/property.

In 2009-2010, the average county mediator would be paid per hour $100/3 hour session and $20 compensation for non-appearance. This rate has increased in the 2nd judicial courts to various prices estimated $150-$230 per hour. However, small claims has been a free and volunteered program in the 2nd judicial circuit which helps local citizens resolve small money disputes, recovery money, neighborhood disputes, worthless check/ bad checks, and other small claims issues.

In some high population areas of Florida there can be a small claims charge for around $25-$32 per hour. Various prices for any type of mediation session depends on the judicial circuit or the private mediation firm that is facilitating the mediation process.