Divorce & Family Mediation in Key West, FL
Divorce, family and co-parenting mediation for Key West families, with a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Monroe County handles family cases at three courthouses along the Keys, in Key West, Marathon and Plantation Key, and online sessions by Zoom or Google Meet work wherever you are in the Keys.
Family court and mediation for Key West residents
Key West family cases are heard at the Freeman Justice Center, 302 Fleming St., Key West. Monroe County's judges and general magistrates also handle family cases at the Marathon Courthouse, 3117 Overseas Hwy., and the Plantation Key Government Center, 88770 Overseas Hwy., Tavernier. Court-program mediation fees are paid to the Clerk in advance and are due once a session is scheduled and noticed, even if a party doesn't appear. Monroe County is part of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, which serves Monroe County.
The same court and the same online sessions apply to families in Key Largo, elsewhere in Monroe County.
In the Sixteenth Circuit, the court may refer family law cases to its Family Mediation Program when the parties' combined income does not exceed $100,000 a year. Fees are $60 or $120 per party for a three-hour session, paid in advance to the Clerk of Court, and couples above the income limit must use a certified private mediator. The circuit's mediation program page has the current details.
Private mediation is a separate path: you choose the mediator and the timing, and you can meet from home by video. Dr. Conflicts is a Florida Supreme Court Certified County & Family Mediator and works with Key West families online, so there is no courthouse trip for the mediation itself.
- Mediation can be held onlineFlorida's family rules let the referral order or a written stipulation provide for mediation in person, remotely by audio or audio-video technology, or a combination. If a court order is silent, court-ordered mediation is in person. Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.740
- What is said in mediation stays confidentialUnder Florida's Mediation Confidentiality and Privilege Act, mediation communications are confidential. That covers court-ordered mediations and mediations conducted by a Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator, unless the parties agree otherwise. Fla. Stat. 44.405
- Court-program fees are set by statuteIn court-connected family mediation, the fee is $60 per person per scheduled session when the parties' combined income is under $50,000, and $120 when it is between $50,000 and $100,000. A party found indigent pays no fee. Fla. Stat. 44.108
- Parents take a four-hour courseIn a divorce with minor children, or a paternity case, every party must complete a parent education and family stabilization course of at least four hours before final judgment, generally within 45 days of filing or service. Fla. Stat. 61.21
Mediation services for Key West families
Family and Divorce Mediation
Work through separation without handing the outcome to a court.
Learn moreCo-Parenting Mediation
Build a parenting partnership that works after the relationship ends.
Learn moreVirtual Mediation
The same structured process, from wherever each person is.
Learn moreDivorce and Co-Parenting Coaching
Steady support through the hardest conversations.
Learn moreThe mediation process
- 01Initial consultationA confidential conversation to understand the situation and determine whether mediation is appropriate.
- 02Intake and preparationClarify the issues, goals, participants, and any documents or background information needed before the session.
- 03The mediation sessionEach person has an opportunity to be heard and the issues are organized clearly - with structure, not escalation.
- 04Exploring optionsDiscuss possibilities together and work toward practical, realistic solutions that fit the specific situation.
- 05Agreement and next stepsA written summary of agreements or clear next steps, depending on the type of matter and the participants' needs.
Mediation in Key West: common questions
Key West family cases are heard at the Freeman Justice Center, 302 Fleming St., Key West. Monroe County's judges and general magistrates also handle family cases at the Marathon Courthouse, 3117 Overseas Hwy., and the Plantation Key Government Center, 88770 Overseas Hwy., Tavernier. Court-program mediation fees are paid to the Clerk in advance and are due once a session is scheduled and noticed, even if a party doesn't appear. Monroe County is part of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, which serves Monroe County.
In the Sixteenth Circuit, the court may refer family law cases to its Family Mediation Program when the parties' combined income does not exceed $100,000 a year. Fees are $60 or $120 per party for a three-hour session, paid in advance to the Clerk of Court, and couples above the income limit must use a certified private mediator. Private mediation is the alternative when you want to choose your mediator and meet online.
Yes. Sessions are online, so families anywhere in Monroe County can mediate from home. Family cases from Key Largo are filed in the same Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida as Key West's.
Florida's family rules allow mediation by audio or audio-video technology when the court's referral order or a written stipulation provides for it. Otherwise, court-ordered mediation is in person. In private mediation you agree the format with your mediator, and Dr. Conflicts works online by Zoom or Google Meet.
In the court's program, Florida Statute 44.108 sets $60 per person per session when combined income is under $50,000 and $120 between $50,000 and $100,000, with no fee for a party found indigent. Private mediation is priced separately, and fees are discussed and agreed before any work begins.
Yes. Under Florida Statute 44.405, mediation communications are confidential in court-ordered mediations and in mediations conducted by a Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator, unless the parties agree otherwise. There are limited legal exceptions.
Mediation is not legal representation, and Dr. Conflicts does not give legal advice. Many people have their own attorney review a proposed agreement before signing, especially when property, support or a parenting plan is involved.
Florida mediation guides
Talk it through before you decide
A short consultation helps you see whether mediation fits your situation. Sessions are online, in English or Hebrew.
Important to know
Mediation is not legal representation. Dr. Conflicts does not provide legal advice, does not represent either participant, and does not replace consultation with an attorney. Participants are encouraged to seek independent legal advice when legal rights, obligations, court filings, or formal agreements are involved.
Court details on this page come from official Florida court and statute sources, linked above. Procedures change; always confirm with the court or your attorney.