Are you seeking expert mediation services in Melbourne, FL?
Are you seeking expert mediation services in Melbourne, FL?
Florida HOA Presuit Mediation: Requirements, Deadlines & Sample Demand Forms
Florida Statute § 720.311 requires many HOA covenant and enforcement disputes to go through pre-suit mediation before either side can sue — but the statute explicitly excludes collection of any assessment, fine, or other financial obligation, and excludes election and recall disputes. Where it applies, the demanding party lists five certified mediators and their hourly […]
Reactive Abuse in Mediation: When the Victim Looks Like the Aggressor
If you’ve raised your voice, shut down, or fought back after months or years of being pushed — and then had that moment used as proof that you’re the difficult one — you’re describing a pattern the National Domestic Violence Hotline calls reactive abuse. Kim W. Torres and some other practitioners use the term reactive […]
How a Parenting Plan Can Ease the Conflict a Restraining Order Doesn’t Address
Before anything else: if you’re in danger right now, this article isn’t about you skipping protection — contact the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. What follows applies to a different, narrower situation: a high-conflict custody dispute where mediation is already appropriate, and where physical danger isn’t […]
What Florida Mediators Are Actually Required to Report About Domestic Violence
A Florida mediator is legally required to report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult — that’s a mandatory report to Florida’s Abuse Hotline, and it goes to the Department of Children and Families, not the judge in your case. A threat of violence between adults works differently: the mediator may […]
More families are turning to elder mediation to work through disputes involving an aging parent — care decisions, finances, guardianship concerns, and disagreements between siblings about what mom or dad actually wants. Mediation is built around one core idea: the people in the room make their own decisions, voluntarily and with full understanding of what […]
Shaping the Future of Florida Family Mediation: Insights from the Florida Bar Annual Conference
Florida family mediation is shifting toward virtual sessions, more detailed parenting plans, and earlier pre-suit resolution. Kim Torres, a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator in Brevard County, tracks these shifts in part through statewide involvement, including attending this year’s Florida Bar Annual Conference, where she appears in a video recap the Florida Bar released from […]
Is Divorce Mediation Required in Florida? What You Need to Know in 2026
In Florida, divorce mediation is required in nearly every contested family law case before a judge will schedule a trial date, under Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Rule 12.740. Florida requires 6-month residency under Fla. Stat. § 61.021 and a 20-day minimum between filing and final judgment. Private divorce mediation in Florida costs $3,000 […]
Florida Divorce Mediator Fees: Hourly Rates, Flat Fees, and What’s Included
Florida divorce mediators charge $150 to $500 per hour in 2026, with most certified family mediators billing $200 to $400 hourly. Attorney-mediators charge $200 to $500 per hour. Non-attorney mediators charge $100 to $350 per hour. Kim W. Torres, Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator and Florida Bar member since 1985, charges $350 per […]
How Much Does Divorce Mediation Cost in Florida vs. Hiring a Lawyer?
Private divorce mediation in Florida costs $3,000 to $8,000 total for both spouses combined. A contested divorce, including attorneys’ fees, costs $13,000 to $50,000 per spouse. Mediation resolves the same parenting plan, asset division, and support questions in two to six hours. Litigation spreads the same questions across 50 to 100 attorney hours over six […]
The Florida Divorce Process Explained: How to Communicate With Your Spouse for a Peaceful Divorce
Divorce in Florida is a major emotional and financial transition for most spouses. Many Florida couples now choose a more respectful and cooperative approach to ending their marriages. A peaceful divorce in Florida relies on open communication, financial transparency, and practical problem-solving between spouses. With guidance from a professional Florida divorce mediator, many couples resolve […]
