Mediation may be agreed upon by the parties or required by the court. Either way, the process usually starts by generating a list of qualified professionals. The parties might agree upon one name on the list or the list is narrowed by each party taking turns and striking one name off the list until only one name remains, and that is the neutral that the parties select.
You should always start by asking your attorney for referrals to mediators with whom they are familiar. If you do not have an attorney, you can ask your friends, co-workers or family members if they have had good experiences with a particular mediator. Of course, you can look online or in the phone book, but that only lets you know how successful the mediator is at developing a website or a yellow pages ad.
The Minnesota Supreme Court maintains a roster of Qualified Neutrals. To be a qualified neutral, a mediator must go through specific training. Qualifications for the training are found under Rule 114.13 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice for the District Courts. In Minnesota to be a family law mediator, you must go through additional training and courses, focusing on unique issues in family law.
The Minnesota Supreme Court maintains a roster of all Qualified Neutrals in the state. You can access the roster HERE. You can see from the roster that family law mediators are separate from general civil mediators and arbitrators. The roster provides the contact information as well as the areas of law that the mediator would like to handle.
Your mediator should provide you with information about their education and training and work experience to allow you to make an informed decision.
Stacy Wright is a Rule 114 Qualified Neutral for Family Law, and can assist in your Minnesota mediation needs. Call: 763-244-1002 to schedule mediation today.
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