Mediation is quickly gaining popularity in Missouri, and those interested in becoming mediators in Missouri’s bigger cities such as Kansas City or St. Louis, will easily be able to make a fulfilling and successful career here.
Missouri is one of the states that does not offer a certification in mediation to ensure that all mediators meet minimum requirements. Instead, local and district courts are allowed to set the standards for qualification to receive court-referred cases. Additionally, several statewide organizations provide their recognition as an approved mediator if the person meets certain standards.
Mediators that take referrals from a local or district court must meet the training requirements as laid out below. Additionally, mediators will need to have a general interest in dispute resolution, mediation experience where they co-mediate with experienced mediators, and hands-on experience to be added to the Missouri Bar’s list of mediators who meet the qualifications. They will also need to complete continuing education on mediation and are encouraged to participate in volunteer opportunities to maintain their accredited status.
Individuals interested and qualified should fill out the application form with the Missouri Office of Dispute Resolution to become approved mediators today.
General Civil Mediation: Missouri Supreme Court Rule 17
Missouri’s Court Rule 17 requirements apply to mediators who hope to mediate civil cases referred by the district courts. Civil disputes referred to mediation are most frequently small claims court cases, but the subject matter can be expanded based on the skills and career of the mediator.
General Mediation Training in Conflict Resolution
Mediators interested in general mediation will need to complete a civil mediation training course. This mediation training will outline the skills necessary for mediation and the law that governs mediation. This basic training will also discuss the ethical standards that must be met when dealing with the parties and attorneys.
Domestic Relations Mediation: Missouri Supreme Court Rule 88
For those hoping to handle mediations from domestic relations cases, the following training must be completed.
Family Mediation Training
Family mediation training will outline the law and issues that surround family law disputes. Because family law involves complex issues of a financial and psychological nature, family mediation training focuses on the intertwining issues that the mediator will face, such as domestic violence and the implications for education that custody may have on children.
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Mediators
The Missouri Department of Education hosts a list of mediators that deal specifically with school and education-related issues. These are most frequently civil disputes, but the implications they may have on a child can far exceed the knowledge of a civil judge. A mediator hoping to become DESE-certified will need to attend DESE-approved mediation training and additional training each year. In addition to the training, the mediator has strict impartiality requirements. Mediators approved under this scheme cannot serve as the executive director, associate director, or member of the Missouri School Board.
Final Thoughts
If you would like to learn more about how to become a mediator in Missouri, the first step is to find an approved civil or family mediation training that you can attend. If you are interested in general mediation training, check out ADR Times Mastery Training.
While in law school, Emily served as an executive editor on the Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal and had the opportunity to learn about ADR from world-class professors of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.
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