Ark. ADR Comm'n Req. Certification Mediators C

1. Civil Division Mediators

a. Training

1. Have completed a minimum of 40 hours in a basic or civil mediation

training approved by the Commission;

2. Applicants who complete a mediation training course outside of

Arkansas must also complete the Commission’s course Mediator Ethics,

Law and General Practices in Arkansas.

3. Applicants must complete the certification process within three years of

completing their initial mediation training. If a complete certification

application has not been submitted to the Commission within the three

year period, the applicant must retake all training required for

certification in the civil division. If the applicant can demonstrate that

they have actively mediated since receiving their initial mediation

training, this requirement may be waived at the Commission’s discretion.

If the applicant is certified by the Commission in another division, the

three year time limit is not applicable.

b. Education

1. Have a master’s level degree or higher; or

2. Have a bachelor’s degree plus a graduate level certificate in conflict

resolution; or

3. Have a juris doctorate or equivalent; or

4. Have substantial, demonstrated, and satisfactory knowledge, skills,

abilities, and experience as a mediator in the applicable field of

mediation

c. Practical Experience

1. Have observed, mediated, or co-mediated two mediations involving

issues that would be heard in circuit court, other than domestic relations

or juvenile matters;

2. Observations and co-mediations must be of a case that is, or would be,

filed in the civil division of the Arkansas Circuit Courts. Observations

and co-mediations must be completed with a mediator who is certified by

the Arkansas ADR Commission.

3. Observations must be completed during, or after, completion of

mediation training.

d. Ethics

1. Be of good moral character; and

2. Accept and follow the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution

Commission’s Requirements for the Conduct of Mediation and

Mediators

3. Submit to an Arkansas State Police Records check and an Arkansas

Child Maltreatment Registry check. If the applicant has resided in any

state other than Arkansas in the previous five years, they must submit to

a background check in the state or states of prior residence in that prior

five years.

e. Examination

1. Prior to granting certification, the Commission may require applicants to

successfully complete an examination on mediation concepts, ethics, and

other topics relevant to mediation in the Arkansas Circuit Court system.

2. Domestic Relations

a. Training

1. Have completed a 40 hour family mediation training approved by the

Commission; or

2. Have completed 40 hours of basic or civil mediation training with an

additional 20 hour family mediation training devoted entirely to family or

parenting mediation which is approved by the Commission;

3. Applicants who complete a basic, civil or family mediation training

course outside of Arkansas must also complete the Commission’s course

Mediator Ethics, Law and General Practices in Arkansas. If the

applicant has completed an approved mediation training course in

Arkansas, this requirement will be waived.

4. Applicants must complete the certification process within three years of

completing their initial mediation training. If a complete certification

application has not been submitted to the Commission within the three

year period, the applicant must retake all training required for

certification in the domestic relations division. If the applicant can

demonstrate that they have actively mediated since receiving their initial

mediation training, this requirement may be waived at the Commission’s

discretion. If the applicant is certified by the Commission in another

division, the three year time limit is not applicable.

b. Education

1. Have a bachelor level degree with at least two years work experience in

family and marriage issues; or

2. Have a master’s degree or higher; or

3. Have a bachelor’s degree plus a graduate level certificate in conflict

resolution; or

4. Have a juris doctorate or equivalent; or

5. Have substantial, demonstrated, and satisfactory knowledge, skills,

abilities, and experience as a mediator in the applicable field of

mediation

c. Practical Experience

1. Have observed, mediated, or co-mediated two domestic relations

mediations;

2. Observations and co-mediations must be of a case that is, or would be,

filed in the domestic relations division of the Arkansas Circuit Courts.

Observations and co-mediations must be completed with a mediator who

is certified by the Arkansas ADR Commission.

3. Observations must be completed during, or after, completion of

mediation training.

d. Ethics

1. Be of good moral character; and

2. Accept and follow the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution

Commission’s Requirements for the Conduct of Mediation and

Mediators.

3. Submit to an Arkansas State Police Records check and an Arkansas

Child Maltreatment Registry check. If the applicant has resided in any

state other than Arkansas in the previous five years, they must submit to

a background check in the state or states of prior residence in that prior

five years.

e. Examination

1. Prior to granting certification, the Commission may require applicants to

successfully complete an examination on mediation concepts, ethics, and

other topics relevant to mediation in the Arkansas Circuit Court system.

3. Probate Division

a. Any mediator who is certified in, or meets the certification requirements of,

either the civil division or the domestic relations division is eligible for

certification in the probate division.

4. Juvenile Division Mediators

a. Training

1. Have completed a 40 hour family mediation training approved by the

Commission; or

2. Have completed a 40 hour basic or civil mediation training with an

additional 20 hour family mediation training devoted entirely to family or

parenting mediation and which is approved by the Commission; and

3. Have completed a course on the Arkansas juvenile court system

approved by the Commission.

4. Applicants who complete a basic or family mediation training course

outside of Arkansas must also complete the Commission’s course

Mediator Ethics, Law and General Practices in Arkansas.

5. Applicants must complete the certification process within three years of

completing basic mediation training. If a complete certification

application has not been submitted to the Commission within the three

year period, the applicant must retake all training required for

certification in the juvenile division. If the applicant can demonstrate that

they have actively mediated since receiving their initial mediation

training, this requirement may be waived at the Commission’s discretion.

If the applicant is certified by the Commission in another division, the

three year time limit is not applicable.

b. Education

1. Have a bachelor level degree with at least two years work experience in

family issues; or

2. Have a master’s degree or higher; or

3. Have a bachelor’s degree plus a graduate level certificate in conflict

resolution; or

4. Have a juris doctorate or equivalent; or

5. Have substantial, demonstrated, and satisfactory knowledge, skills,

abilities, and experience as a mediator in the applicable field of

mediation

c. Practical Experience

1. Have co-mediated three cases from the juvenile division of the Arkansas

Circuit courts, at least one of which must be a dependency-neglect case.

a. Co-mediations must be completed in Arkansas with a mediator

who is certified by the Arkansas ADR Commission and

designated as a juvenile mediation mentor. The Commission may

consider evaluations made by the mentor mediator when

determining whether the applicant is qualified for certification in

the juvenile category.

2. If there is a three month period in which there are no opportunities to

work with a mentor and the applicant has mediated five domestic

relations or probate cases, the applicant, with authorization from the

Coordinator for the Commission, may:

a. observe or co-mediate three juvenile mediations, one of which

must be a dependency neglect case; or

b. observe a facilitated dependency neglect staffing and observe or

co-mediate two juvenile mediations; or

c. observe or co-mediate one juvenile mediation, one dependency

neglect facilitated staffing, and co-facilitate one dependency

neglect facilitated staffing.

i. Observations or co-mediations must be completed with a

mediator who is certified by the Arkansas ADR

ii. Applicants for juvenile certification must receive

authorization from the Coordinator for the Commission to

complete the practical experience component using prior

experience and observations or co-mediations.

d. Ethics

1. Be of good moral character; and

2. Accept and follow the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution

Commission’s Requirements for the Conduct of Mediation and

Mediators.

3. Submit to an Arkansas State Police Records check and an Arkansas

Child Maltreatment Registry check. If the applicant has resided in any

state other than Arkansas in the previous five years, they must submit to

a background check in the state or states of prior residence in that prior

five years.

e. Examination

1. Prior to granting certification, the Commission may require applicants to

successfully complete an examination on mediation concepts, ethics, and

other topics relevant to mediation in the Arkansas Circuit Court system.