Search our Mediator Database

Included in this booklet are the basic policies and procedures used in the Third Judicial Administrative District Mediation process. This booklet contains the short biographies of mediators who are registered with the Third Judicial Administrative District Office to provide court-annexed mediations. Please review the booklet before making your decision on which mediator to use in your case. You may follow these suggestions:

1. Review each biography.

   Sample Biography
   John M. Doe	Mediator’s Name
   89 Any Street Anywhere, GA 30000 Telephone: (111) 777-9999 Fax: (111) 777-9990 E-Mail: doej@isp.com	Mediator’s Name
   John M. Doe is an attorney, arbitrator, and mediator trained by Mediations of Anywhere. He has received training in divorce mediations from the Divorce Mediation Institute, and Atlanta Divorce Mediators, Inc. Mr. Doe is a member of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR).	Mediator’s background information
   Fees: $100 per hour	Mediator’s fee
   Available: All	Counties available to mediate in
   Registered: General and Domestic	Mediator’s registration status

2. Make notes about specific mediators that interest you. Their training, background, etc. are some areas to look for.
3. Take down numbers and addresses. We suggest you contact the mediators that interest you and speak with them. Some mediators may offer a free consultation session. You might want to ask a prospective mediator a few questions. Please see section on sample questions you might want to ask.
4. Make your decision. Be sure to notify the opposing party of your decision. All parties in a case MUST agree upon the mediator within ten days of the plaintiff’s or plaintiff’s attorney’s receipt of the signed order.
5. Once the mediator has been agreed upon, you have ten days to schedule the mediation session. The mediator will send a confirmation letter to everyone with a copy to the Office of Dispute Resolution.

Sample Questions About Mediators

1. What is the mediator’s style or philosophy in the context of mediation? Mediators range from a broad facilitative style to a narrow evaluative style.
2. Does the mediator display integrity, sensitivity, emotional stability, maturity (not just age), impartiality and insight into themselves and their clients? Does the mediator establish trust between themselves and the client? Does the mediator manage the interaction and balance the power between parties? Does the mediator empower the parties to generate their own options? Is the mediator impartial?
3. Do you understand the mediator’s use of words and process? If there is one single important factor in mediation, it is communication. Do you, the client, feel comfortable with the style and demeanor of the mediator. As the advocate for a client, the question is do you and your client feel comfortable with the mediator.
4. What is the mediation fee?

About this List

This list is complied of mediators registered with the Third Judicial Administrative District Office of Dispute Resolution to provide court-annexed mediations. All the mediators are listed alphabetically by last name and include addresses, phone numbers, fees, availability and registration.

Qualifications
All mediators listed are registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution (GODR) which is the office appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia to oversee court-annexed dispute resolution programs in Georgia. Mediators can be registered in two categories, general mediation and domestic mediation. All mediators have met at least the following minimum requirements as outlined by the Supreme Court Commission on Dispute Resolution.

General Mediation
Training for mediators in a court-connected program shall be no less than twenty (20) hours of classroom training (including role play and other participatory exercises) plus observation of or co-mediation with a veteran mediator in at least five mediations.

Domestic Mediation
Domestic mediators who received domestic relations mediation training subsequent to January 1, 1994 must satisfy the requirements for general mediators PRIOR to taking domestic relations mediation training. The required domestic relations training is at least forty (40) hours of training which substantially meets the standards of the Academy of Family Mediators. Mediators in divorce and custody cases shall receive special training in the subject of domestic violence. Also, domestic relations mediators must have, in addition to the required five observations or co-mediations for general mediation, at least one observation of a divorce or custody mediation and at least two co-mediations of divorce or custody cases.

Availability
The Third Judicial Administrative District is made up of 6 counties which include Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Taylor. With the biographies of the mediators, you will find a listing of the counties they are available to mediate in within the Third Judicial Administrative District. If the mediator is willing to mediate in all 7 counties of the district “All” is listed for this category; otherwise, the counties are written out in full. Many of the mediators listed will mediate outside the Third Judicial Administrative District. Please contact the individual mediator about their availability outside the Third Judicial Administrative District.

Fees
All the fees listed with the mediators’ biographies are PER HOUR/PER DAY. The day rate is set for a six hour day. The fees listed cannot be increased. The mediator may negotiate a lower fee with the parties but a higher fee than what is published is not allowed in court-annexed mediations (see private mediations below). All fees are shared equally regardless of the number of parties involved. If a scheduled mediation is canceled without 48 hours notice to the mediator, the late cancellation fee will be charged to the parties. The amount of this fee will be equal to the hourly fee published in this listing for that particular mediator. If a party fails to appear at the scheduled mediation, the non-appearing party will be responsible for the entire late cancellation fee. Also, it is the non-appearing party’s responsibility to reschedule the mediation session with everyone.

Private Mediations
Many of the mediators listed offer private mediation services as well as court-annexed mediations. If you are interested in a private mediation and would like to use a mediator from this list, please feel free to contact them. Please be aware that private mediations are not covered under the Third Judicial Administrative District procedures. Therefore, the fees published in this listing are for court-annexed mediations only. Private mediations done by these mediators may include an increase or decrease in hourly rate, travel expenses and time requirements. Please contact the individual mediator about their private mediation procedures.