The Citizen Dispute Mediation Program of St. Johns County, FL offers free mediation services to its citizens. The services are offered to settle disputes worth $15,000 or less.

More About the St. Johns County Mediation Program

Citizens may seek the dispute-handling services via the county court. The mediators are volunteers and charge nothing for their services. They must all go through certification by the Supreme Court of Florida before offering their services.

The services are available during regular business hours (9-5) on the second Tuesday, second Friday, fourth Tuesday, and fourth Friday of each month. Services offered by the Citizen Dispute Mediation Program include:

• • Workplace Mediation (Including wage concerns)
• • Civil Mediation
• • Business Disputes
• • Neighborhood Disputes
• • Consumer Complaints
• • Outstanding Debt

Why Citizens Should Use the Program Before Going to Court

Mediation services can save a lot of time, money, and anxiety when compared to court proceedings. Lawyers can be expensive, and even small civil cases (that don't require lawyers) tend to cost filing fees. The mediation lawyers involved with the county program offer their services for free, which can save thousands of dollars in court and attorney fees.

Another good thing about the services is that they can keep a dispute from turning into full-on court battles. Court battles can cause bad feelings for years or even generations to come, so it's best to avoid them when at all possible.

How Does the Free Program Work?

When a citizen wishes to pursue the St. Johns county free mediation services as an alternative to court, he or she simply needs to contact the county court. Someone from the free program will then will then contact the other party to schedule an appointment.