Court Mediation Requirements – New York | Phoenix Dispute Solutions

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Court Mediation Requirements – New York

In New York, courts often maintain rosters of mediators for court-referred cases. Training requirements to become a court-connected mediator are provided under Part 146 of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge. Training requirements include at least 40 hours of approved training out of which 24 hours shall include basic mediation skills, and at least 16 hours of additional training should be on specified mediation techniques. Individual jurisdictions may impose additional experiential requirements to join their court rosters.

Before or after completing your mediation training, you will want to identify your local court roster requirements if you intend to practice entirely or partially as a court mediator. The below tables provide some insight into basic court requirements for mediators in different districts of New York. You should use this information as a starting point in your research and contact your local district for clarification and confirmation.

Local Court Requirements

Commercial Division Court-connected Mediator Panels

Sr.No.

Court-connected Panels

Requirements

Website

1.

New York County

40 Hours of mediation training. Must agree to serve as Neutral on three cases per year.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

2.

Queens County

40 Hours of mediation training and recent experience in mediating actual cases.

http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/11jd/supreme/civilterm/adr/i ndex.shtml

3.

Kings County

40 Hours of mediation training. Must agree to serve as Neutral on three cases per year.

http://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/comdiv/kings.shtml

4.

Westchester County

40 Hours of mediation training and recent experience in mediating actual cases.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

5.

Nassau County

40 Hours of mediation training and recent experience in mediating actual cases.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

6.

Suffolk County

40 Hours of mediation training and recent experience in mediating actual cases.

http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/comdiv/PDFs/Suffolk_A DR_Protocols.pdf

Matrimonial Mediation Court-connected Panels

Sr.No.

Court-connected Panels

Requirements

Website

1.

New York County

60 Hours of family mediation training;
4 Years of family mediation experience;
250 Hours of face-to-face mediation;
25 Custody and visitation mediation cases.

http://nycourts.gov/courts/1jd/supctmanh/Matrimonial_Mediation.shtml

2.

New York County, Matrimonial Neutral Evaluation Program (MNEP)

Six hours of approved Neutral Evaluation training;
Lawyers admitted to practice for at least 10 years, with 7 years of substantial matrimonial experience;
Individuals with 10 years of experience as former judge with substantial matrimonial law experience;
Six hours of additional approved training every two years.

http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/1jd/supctmanh/Matrimonial _NEP_menu.shtml

3.

Queens County

Sixty hours of family mediation training;
Four years of family mediation experience;
250 hours of face-to-face mediation;
25 custody and visitation mediation cases.

http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/11jd/supreme/civilterm/ad r/index.shtml

4.

Westchester County

Sixty hours of family mediation training;
Four years of family mediation experience;
250 hours of face-to-face mediation;
25 custody and visitation mediation cases.

http://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/9jd/matrimonial.shtml#dMe%20diation

5.

Nassau County

40 Hours of mediation training;
Recent experience in mediating actual cases.

For Parenting Coordination (PC) Roster:

Forty hours of parenting coordination training.

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/COURTS/10JD/nassau/mat- mediation.shtml

6.

Nassau County, Matrimonial Special Master/Neutral Evaluator Program

6 Hours of approved Neutral Evaluation training;
Lawyers admitted for at least 15 years, with 7 years of substantial matrimonial experience;
Individuals with 5 years of experience as a former judge with substantial matrimonial law experience;
6 Hours of additional approved training every 2 years.

https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/courts/10jd/nassau/pdf/Mat-Special-Master-Neutral-Evaluation-Program-Statement-of-Procedures.pdf

7.

Suffolk Matrimonial Mediation Project CALM: Civil Alternatives to Litigating in Matrimonials

Forty hours of mediation training;
Minimum 150 hours of mediation, including at least 25 family matters within the last 5 years, or successful completion of structured family mediation apprenticeship.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

Civil Court-connected Mediator Panel

Sr.No.

Court-connected Panels

Requirements

Website

1.

Nassau County, Supreme Court (Neutral Evaluation- Civil Cases)

Attorneys with at least 5yrs of experience, knowledge and experience dealing with personal injury law, breach of contract, dissolution of business, and general civil matters;
Six hours of training in procedural and ethical issues in neutral evaluation civil cases.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

Family Court-connected Mediator Panels

Sr.No.

Court-connected Panels

Requirements

Website

1.

New York City, Family Court Custody/Visitation

Need Community Dispute Resolution Center (CDRC) or basic mediation training (30 hours) or its equivalent;
Custody and Visitation (CV) training (12-15 hours) with Family Court orientation or equivalent;
Substantial experience in mediating, preferably custody/visitation cases (minimum 20 cases over past 3 years);
Observation and co-mediations.

http://ww2.nycourts.gov/COURTS/nyc/family/faqs_custodyandvisitation.shtml

2.

5th Judicial District Child Permanency Mediation Program

(Covering Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, & Oswego Counties)

40 Hours of mediation training;
Substantial recent experience mediating (e.g., 20 cases over the last 3 years);
Trained individuals who don’t meet the experiential requirement may be admitted to the roster as an unpaid apprentice mediator.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

3.

6th Judicial District Child Permanency Mediation Program

(Covering Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Otswego, Schuyler Tioga, & Tomkins Counties)

40 Hours of mediation training;
Substantial recent experience mediating (e.g., 20 cases over the last 3 years);
Trained individuals who do not meet the experiential requirement may be admitted to the roster as an unpaid apprentice mediator.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

4.

8th Judicial District Child Permanency

Mediation Program

(Covering Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, & Wyoming Counties)

40 hours of mediation training;
Substantial recent experience mediating (e.g., 20 cases over the last 3 years);
Trained individuals who do not meet the experiential requirement may be admitted to the roster as an unpaid apprentice mediator.

http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadmin/146.shtml

Civil Court of the City of New York Mediation Panels

Sr.No.

Court-connected Panels

Requirements

Website

1.

Mediation Matters

(Covering Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, & Washington Counties)

30 Hours Basic Mediation Training; completion of apprenticeship.

https://www.mediationmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/MM-Volunteer-Application.pdf

2.

ACCORD, A Center for Dispute Resolution, Inc.

(Covering Broome &Tioga Counties)

36 Hour initial court-related classroom training, an apprenticeship program, and at least 8 hours of continuing education each year.

https://accordny.com/about/volunteers/

3.

Center for Resolution and Justice

(Covering Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, & Wyoming Counties)

Contact mediate@cfsbny.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://cfsbny.org/our-services/conflict-resolution/

4.

Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution

(Bronx County)

Contact yoerlinj@imcr.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.imcr.org

5.

Center for Dispute Settlement, Inc.

(Covering Cayuga, Livingston, Seneca, Wayne, Yates, Steuben, Monroe, & Ontario Counties)

Contact smarteney@cdsadr.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://cdsadr.org

6.

Community Dispute Resolution Center, Inc.

(Covering Chemung, Schulyer, & Tompkins Counties)

Contact cdrc@cdrc.org for details on prerequisites to join.

http://www.cdrc.org/volunteer.html

7.

Catholic Charities Dispute Resolution Center

(Covering Delaware, Schoharie, Montgomery, Otsego, Chenango, Fulton, & Herkimer Counties) Contact plegay@charitiesccdo.org for details on prerequisites to join.

http://www.charitiesccdos.org/Dispute_Resolution.html

8.

Common Ground Dispute Resolution, Inc.

(Covering Greene & Columbia Counties) Contact info@commongroundinc.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.commongroundinc.org

9.

New Justice Conflict Resolution Services, Inc.

(Cortland, Onondaga, & Oswego Counties) Contact heathersaroney@newjusticeservices.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.newjusticeservices.org

10.

Mediation Center of Dutchess County, Inc.

Contact llawson@dutchessmediation.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.dutchessmediation.org

11.

Resolution Center of Jefferson and Lewis Counties

Contact info@resolution-center.net for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.resolution-center.net

12.

New York Peace Institute

(Covering New York and Kings Counties)

Contact info@nypeace.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://nypeace.org

13.

Empowered Pathways

(Covering Madison & Oneida Counties)

Contact stephanie@empoweredpathwayscny.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.empoweredpathwayscny.org

14.

Dispute Resolution Center, Inc.

(Covering Putnam, Sullivan, Ulster, & Orange Counties)

Contact executivedirector@drcservices.org for details on prerequisites to join.

https://www.drcservices.org

Practicum Programs

Practicum programs allow newly-qualified mediators to gain valuable experience by taking part in real-life mediations as observers, co-mediators and mediators. Most practicum programs operate on an unpaid voluntary basis for participants whilst other receive a fee for providing experiential opportunities. Practicum programs usually require at least 30 hours of mediation training as a prerequisite for registration.

Please note that the below list is not exhaustive.

Sr. No.

Organization

Requirements

Website

1.

Mediation Matters

30 Hours basic mediation training.

https://www.mediationmatters.org/become-a-mediator/

2.

Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution

Basic mediation training.

https://www.imcr.org/community-mediation-training/

3.

New York Peace Institute

36 Hours mediation training.

https://nypeace.org/become-a-mediator/

4.

Cornell Law School

Have some knowledge/understanding of mediation.

https://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinical-program/campus-mediation-practicum/

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