Divorce & Family Mediation in St. Augustine, FL
Divorce, family and co-parenting mediation for St. Augustine families, with a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Under a Seventh Circuit order, St. Johns County couples with combined income of $100,000 or more aren't eligible for the court's family mediation program and are referred to private mediators. Sessions here are online by Zoom or Google Meet.
Family court and mediation for St. Augustine residents
Family cases filed in St. Johns County are handled at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, which houses the Clerk's office and a general magistrate who hears temporary and post-judgment family matters. St. Johns judges may refer family cases with combined income under $100,000 to the Seventh Circuit's Family Mediation Program (Order FM-2012-027-SC). In a divorce with minor children, parents must finish their parenting course before court-ordered mediation (Order FM-2024-016-SC). St. Johns County is part of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, which serves Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
The same court and the same online sessions apply to families in Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine Beach, elsewhere in St. Johns County.
Referrals to the Seventh Circuit's family mediation program, which covers Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties, are made by court order. The low-cost program is for parties whose combined income is under $100,000, at $60 or $120 per person per session and free for indigent parties, and its mediations are held in court facilities in each county. 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 St. Augustine 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 St. Augustine 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 St. Augustine: common questions
Family cases filed in St. Johns County are handled at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, which houses the Clerk's office and a general magistrate who hears temporary and post-judgment family matters. St. Johns judges may refer family cases with combined income under $100,000 to the Seventh Circuit's Family Mediation Program (Order FM-2012-027-SC). In a divorce with minor children, parents must finish their parenting course before court-ordered mediation (Order FM-2024-016-SC). St. Johns County is part of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, which serves Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
Referrals to the Seventh Circuit's family mediation program, which covers Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties, are made by court order. The low-cost program is for parties whose combined income is under $100,000, at $60 or $120 per person per session and free for indigent parties, and its mediations are held in court facilities in each county. Private mediation is the alternative when you want to choose your mediator and meet online.
Yes. Sessions are online, so families anywhere in St. Johns County can mediate from home. Family cases from Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine Beach are filed in the same Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida as St. Augustine'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
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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.