Family Mediation Program
The Family Mediation Program provides mediation services to people involved in disputes regarding family matters such as custody, visitation, and child support, as well as divorce issues such as the distribution of property, debts, and spousal support. The program focuses on improving communication between parties, addressing the best interests of the children, and facilitating the settlement of disputes by empowering parties to develop their own agreement plan.
Superior Court judges routinely encourage parties in contested domestic cases to consider mediation. Mediators assist the parties in reaching mutually acceptable agreements, which may or may not be incorporated into a court order. In addition, family issues can be mediated prior to filing a formal complaint in court. Cases are eligible for the Family Mediation Program if one or both parties live in the District of Columbia and the disputes involve issues of property division, spousal support, child support, child custody and visitation, or other matters related to separation or divorce. Over 40 percent of parties involved in family mediation are able to reach consensus on issue involving child custody and/or property distribution.
Family mediation sessions are held during the day on Mondays thru Fridays at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. and on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Evening sessions are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. Mediators may work alone or with a co-mediator. Cases usually involve three to seven sessions with each session lasting approximately two to three hours.
How to Apply
Multi-Door recruits mediators in two ways. Trained and highly-qualified mediators should apply through the open enrollment process. Applying through the open enrollment process does not guarantee you will be selected. Persons interested in the Family Mediation program must also complete a supplemental application. Applications are reviewed on an as needed basis. Based on your application Multi-Door may qualify you conditionally. If you qualify, Multi-Door staff will arrange to observe you in a mediation session. If your application is accepted, you will be invited to mediate in a Multi-Door program on an as needed basis. Please mail your application to:
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division
515 5th Street, N.W.
Suite 105
Washington, D.C. 20001
Open Enrollment Application
Supplemental Family Application
People interested in mediating in a Multi-Door's program who do not meet the minimum qualification in the Open Enrollment Application may apply to attend a training, when offered. We typically train in a particular program once every three years. Multi-Door does not have any trainings scheduled at this time. If you would like to be notified of our next training, please send us your email address and we will contact you when we schedule our next training.
Click here to send us your email to be notified of our next mediation program training.
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