When it comes to finding a qualified mediator, it is important to understand the qualifications and requirements that must be met. To become certified as a mediator in circuit court matters, other than family matters, the applicant must have at least a bachelor's degree and 100 points. In some states, a bachelor's degree may be required for family court mediators. For example, in New Jersey, the general criteria for admission to the list of court mediators include 40 hours of basic training in mediation, five hours of mentoring, and a bachelor's degree. To get an overview of the requirements specified by the fifty states for mediators, you can refer to the draft report entitled Lists and Ratings of State Mediators prepared by the Governance Institute of the School of Professional Studies at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock.
The West Virginia State Bar Association (WVBAR) also maintains a list of mediators who are willing and qualified to act as mediators in the state's circuit courts. Other basic requirements include mediation or comediation experience in at least two civil cases and the completion of four hours of continuing mediation education per year. It is important to ensure that any mediation training program you consider is legitimate and has qualified trainers. The requirements to act as a mediator in a court-referred case are found in the Rules of Qualification for Court-Related Mediators of the Oregon Judicial Department. Mediators must meet additional requirements to be included in the judicial list of qualified divorce mediators.
Civil mediators must be lawyers, have completed 40 hours of training in civil mediation approved by the Commission and have completed at least six hours of approved continuing training within three years of the submission of the application for registration.
