Mediators certified by the Commission conduct mediated settlement conferences: in superior court civil actions, in district court matters involving equitable distribution or other family financial disputes, and in eligible matters referred to mediation by Clerks of Superior Court.
Those eligible for certification to conduct superior court mediated settlement conferences include:
1) attorneys who are licensed in North Carolina or elsewhere and who are graduates of accredited law schools with at least five year's practice experience from date of licensure (or equivalent experience), and
2) non-attorneys who
i) possess significant mediation experience and four year's relatively high level management, administrative, or professional experience and a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university, or
ii) have little or no mediation experience but possess at least ten year's relatively high level management, administrative, or professional experience and a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university.
Applicants for superior court certification must meet not only the threshold criteria noted above, but additional requirements established in Rule 8 of the Rules Implementing Mediated Settlement Conferences in Superior Court Civil Actions (MSC Rules).
Those eligible for certification to conduct family financial settlement conferences include:
1) attorneys licensed in North Carolina or elsewhere who are graduates of accredited law schools and who have at least five year's practice experience from the date of licensure (or equivalent experience) , and
2) attorney or non-attorney Advanced Practitioner Members of the Association for Conflict Resolution (formerly the Academy of Family Mediators) who also hold a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university.
Applicants for family financial certification must meet not only the threshold criteria noted above, but additional requirements established under Rule 8 of the North Carolina Supreme Court's Rules Implementing Settlement Procedures in Equitable Distribution and Other Family Financial Cases (FFS Rules).
All certified MSC and FFS Mediators are eligible to conduct mediations in Clerk referred matters, except in estate and guardianship disputes. Only certifed MSC or FFS Mediators with special training in mediating estate and guardianship disputes are eligible to be certified as Clerk Program Mediators.
Applicants seeking to be certified to conduct mediations of misdemeanor cases filed in District Criminal Court must be affiliated with a community mediation center and have the center's endorsement. Applicants are also required to complete at least 24 hours of training in mediating these kinds of cases and hold a four-year college degree.
Certification applications can be obtained from the Commission's office. Those seeking to be certified to conduct mediated settlement conferences in either superior or district court will be assessed a $140 certification fee which is pro-rated quarterly the first year. Thereafter, there is an annual renewal fee which is currently set at $140.00. Applicants seeking dual certification, i.e., both superior court and family financial certification, will be assessed a combined, reduced fee of $200.00 per year, pro-rated quarterly the first year. There are no additonal fees assessed in connection with Clerk Program certification. There are also no fees assessed in connection with district court mediator certification.
Mediators must be certified to conduct mediations of superior court, Clerk, or district criminal court matters (provided that the district criminal court matter is filed in a district participating in the program sanctioned by G.S. 7A-38.3.D.). Mediators do not have to be certified to conduct mediated settlement conferences in family financial cases and parties may nominate a non-certified mediator. However, in the event that the parties cannot agree on or take no action to select a mediator in a family financial case, a judge my appoint only a certified mediator.
Anyone with questions about the certification process should contact the Commission's office at (919) 890-1415