Marion County – Mediation Services

A Small Claim case is a legal action filed in county court to settle minor legal disputes among parties where the dollar amount involved is $5,000 or less, excluding costs, interest, and attorneys’ fees. Forms that have been approved for statewide use are located within the Florida Small Claims Rules and on our website.

Small Claim Mediations are scheduled Tuesdays beginning at 1:00 p.m. The Small Claim Mediations are conducted by Florida Supreme Court Certified County Volunteer Mediators.

A County Court Claim case is a legal action filed in county court to settle legal disputes among parties where the dollar amount involved is $5,000 to $15,000, excluding costs, interest, and attorneys’ fees. Forms that have been approved for statewide use are located within the Florida Small Claims Rules and on our website

The Court has ordered that the dependency court case involving you and your children be referred to mediation. Mediation is an opportunity for you, the parents, to make some decisions about you and your children instead of the Court. The Mediator is a trained and certified, neutral person who helps facilitate communication between the parties. You are the decision maker, not the Mediator.

Our Dependency Mediations Conferences are scheduled every Friday throughout the year except for holidays. The Dependency Mediations each last for one hour sessions beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continue throughout the day until 5:00 p.m.

The Domestic Relations Mediations handle matters involving dissolution of marriages, timesharing with the minor child(ren), child support, as well as all paternity matters. The Mediation takes place in a private conference rooms at the courthouse guided by the mediator who is a neutral party with no opinions in your case. The Mediations are conducted prior to the trial date/ final hearing, in an effort to give the parties an opportunity to negotiate and resolve their case without the added expense and stress of trial. Court Mediation Services are available to those parties where the combined yearly income is less than $100,000.00. Those with income above that amount must seek a private mediator.

In Domestic Relations Mediations, as is the case with all mediations, you the parties retain control and the power to make your own decisions. If the parties reach a settlement in mediation, the mediator draws up a written agreement for the parties and their attorneys to sign. The original agreement is then filed in the Court file and the parties are given a copy. The Court is then notified by the Mediation Program that the case has settled.

To schedule a case for Domestic Mediation, an “Order of Referral to Mediation Program” must be entered by the Judge presiding over the case before a date and time for the Mediation may be set.  Our Domestic Relations Mediations are scheduled in three hour blocks of time. Fees are based on the combined income of both parties.  Morning sessions and afternoon sessions Monday Thru Friday.

To schedule a Domestic Relations or County Court Mediation, contact:

Angelica Day
Administrative Secretary
(352)-401-7829
Marion_Mediation_Services_Department@circuit5.org