Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation | Mediators

Tallahassee Bar Association, Inc., is the program manager for the Second Judicial Circuit's Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program as defined in Administrative Order 10-05.

MEAC Opinions

Yes, the approved programs include Christopher Schulman,Esq.; Gregory Firestone, PhD; David A. Wolfson, Esq.; and ADR Educational Systems, Inc. Other programs wishing approval must submit an application for approval to the Program Manager with copies of their educational materials which must be in compliance with Exhibit 12 of AOSC 09-54.

1. Proof of Florida Supreme Court Civil Circuit Certified;
2. Proof of Training to Mediate Foreclosure Cases;
3. Complete Application to the Foreclosure Bar;
4. Participate in an interview before a Selection Committee consisting the Second Judicial Circuit's Director of Alternative Dispute Resolution Services, a representative from the Program Manager (Tallahassee Bar Association, Inc.).
5. Executed Guidelines and Letter of Agreement for Mediators Participating in the RMFM Program for the Second Judicial Circuit.

Per Administrative Order 10-05, the effective date is June 1, 2010, for all residential homestead foreclosure actions. Each judge has the discretion to refer non-homestead foreclosures to this program.

The mediations are being held at the Leon County Courthouse Annex on Thomasville Road, Second Floor, Tallahassee, FL 32308 (850) 606-4533 (there is no voice mail on this phone, it is strictly for mediation day purposes only).

Presently, due to the volume of foreclosure cases in this circuit, we will not be accepting new mediators. We are maintaining a list based on the date of first contact with the Program Manager. As the volume increases, we will interview qualified applicants and add to our panel as needed.

Approved mediators for the Second Circuit will register at www.RMFMP.com upon the Program Manager's confirmation of their approval in the Second Circuit. The HELP button has instructions on maintaining this calendar. If you require additional assistance, please contact the Program Manager or support@rmfmp.com.

As mediations are scheduled, the www.RMFMP.com program auto-assigns mediators based on their last scheduled mediation. It selects mediators two (2) weeks before the scheduled mediation and in coordination with his/her availability and the scheduled mediation.

There will be no mediations scheduled on Tuesdays. The mediations will be conducted in the time sequence of 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

The Program Manager tries to schedule no fewer than two (2) mediations per mediator and, at most, four (4) mediations. Please understand that sometimes these cases settle prior to mediation and others must be rescheduled.

As mediators calendar their availability, the www.RMFMP.com maintains an "On Call" calendar for the Program Manager's use when the need to manually schedule arises. The Program Manager refers to this list when manually changing mediators with conflicts or scheduling inside of two weeks. When changing mediators, the calendar automatically puts the mediator being replaced back into the rotation.

If the mediator has a conflict with a mediation date auto-scheduled for them, the mediator should contact the Program Manager immediately.

Mediators who adjourn mediation shall pick a date and time certain agreeable with the parties prior to the adjournment of the mediation, as it will be reported on the Mediation Report and the Program Manager will schedule it on the www.RMFMP.com calendar. The Program Manager will prepare the Notice of Continued Mediation to be mailed with the Mediation Report and upload it to the www.RMFMP.com website.

Mediators should bill for this adjourned mediation at the first meeting. At the second meeting, please include it on the bill with an amount of $0.00 owed and/or a notation that it was the Adjourned Mediation.

A Panel Mediator for the Program will be compensated at a rate of $250.00 per mediation. The length of mediation is anticipated to be approximately two (2) hours. However, all Panel Mediators agree to mediate the case as long as is necessary for the agreed upon rate of $250.00. If a second mediation is required, the panel Mediator agrees to conduct the mediation without receiving any additional compensation. However, if a third or fourth mediation is required, then the Panel Mediator will be compensated at a rate of $250.00 for each such additional mediation.

If a mediation cancels/reschedules within 5 days of the scheduled appointment (pursuant to AO 10-05), then the mediator assigned to the mediation will receive payment. If the case receives a second mediation appointment, the originally assigned mediator will be scheduled for no additional fee, as this is considered the second mediation.

The Mediator's invoice shall be provided to the Program Manager in invoice form and include: date of the invoice, the case name, case number, date of mediation, and rate owed, and address to mail the check. If it is an additional mediation, please note which meeting is taking place, i.e., second, third, fourth.

Also, forward a W-9 for the current year to the Program Manager.

The Program Manager shall host periodic meetings of the Panel of Mediators to discuss issues with mediation, the Program, and other topics, while providing some CME hours for the mediators.