Mediation - Frequently Asked Questions

In most cases, the cost of mediation is split by the parties 50/50. This can be negotiated during mediation, but in most cases, sharing the cost of mediation equally is the most equitable and favorable way to proceed. 

Danielle Pond is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, certificate #39929 F. She also holds an MA in Communications, an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy, and has completed Florida’s required family mediation training program, and hundreds of successful mediation sessions. However, she is not an attorney and cannot offer legal or procedural advice. And mediation services do not constitute therapy in any way. To date Danielle has mediated over 300 cases and she is contracted with several circuit courts, including the 4th Judicial Circuit which covers Duval, Nassau and Clay Counties, to handle court-ordered mediations through the Family Mediation Unit. 

Virtual mediation via Zoom is $125/hour/party ($250/hour total). There is a 2-hour minimum on any booking + $100 administration fee. We will email you a link from Chase bank to pay by credit/debit card at the end of the session. Or, you may pay via Zelle to Danielle@pondfamilymediation.com or Venmo to @pondfamilymediation. Most clients prefer virtual mediation because it's more convenient and you can be in a setting where you are comfortable and avoid any interaction with the other party. 

Most cases can be settled in the 3-hour block we offer on the schedule. However, mediation can also be broken up into more than one day or you may book 2 sessions back to back if you feel you need the extra time. Each mediation session requires the same 2-hour minimum plus $100 admin fee. All time used over your 2-hour minimum will be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour.  

For all private mediation bookings, we collect a $125 deposit upfront (from both parties to equal your first hour of mediation $250) to hold your mediation session date/time, and the remainder will be collected at the end of the mediation. This deposit goes toward your mediation session fee. All clients may pay via Venmo or request a payment link from Chase bank to pay with a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover). As mediation is typically split, each party should be prepared to pay for their half of the mediation at the end of the session with a credit or debit card. Court ordered cases with an Order to mediate with Pond Family Mediation do not need to pay a deposit. 

The fee is inclusive of the face-to-face time we spend together (virtually) and the document preparation if it can be completed during the session. If you both agree to the terms of your settlement during mediation, once that portion of the session is concluded and my obligation as your neutral mediator is finished, I can assist you in completing the required documents and family law forms you'll need to file your case so at the end you'll be all done!  

Mediation can be rescheduled up to 48-hours in advance without penalty. If either party does not reach out to reschedule the mediation in time, both parties will forfeit the $125 upfront deposit. If either party does not show up to mediation as scheduled, only that party will forfeit their deposit and will have to pay it again to rebook the session. Each party in a private mediation session must pay a separate $125 deposit to ensure equal responsibility and participation. There is a two-hour minimum to book any mediation session. All mediations include an additional $100 administration fee. If your case is court-ordered or you already have a case number, the mediator can eFile your MSA, Child Support Guidelines and Outcome of Mediation Conference documents on your behalf through the efile portal. As the mediator is not an attorney, she cannot eFile a Consent Final Judgement or any other documents on your behalf that need to be submitted to the Judge directly. The mediator does not represent any party.  

No. You can absolutely file an uncontested divorce or modification action on your own with a mediated settlement. However, there are some caveats to consider. As a Certified Family Mediator, Danielle Pond is not an attorney and is not allowed to give any legal, financial, property settlement, or other advice. So, you should still consider your situation and if an attorney to represent you at mediation may be in your best interests. Please review the Terms of Service page carefully if you are considering not using an attorney. 

You should ONLY bring yourself and your attorney to mediation. Please, do not bring your new significant other, children, parents, siblings, friends, or anyone else. This is a difficult process, and additional emotions and opinions only exacerbate the situation. Also, both parties must agree to anyone other than the other party and his/her attorney being in mediation with them by law, so consider this strongly before you bring anyone else with you. 

Do have your attorney present if you have retained council. If you are going pro se (representing yourself), please review the Terms of Service page carefully, as representing yourself comes with additional risk and personal liability. Please review the Pro Se Help page for more information on mediating without an attorney. 

Download: Preparing for Mediation Checklist | Required Information to File Dissolution of Marriage 

If you or the other party has a hearing, speech, vision, or other disability that requires special consideration, please notify us at the time of booking so that accommodations can be set up in advance. Additional fees will be charged for the cost of disabilty accommodations such as hearing support or language interpretation. 

1. Per Florida law, both parties must be sober and of sound mind to participate in mediation. If a party shows up intoxicated and/or mentally unable to participate, they will forfeit their deposit and will have to pay it again to rebook. 
2. Threats, intimidation, or angry outbursts will stop the mediation session and end it immediately, leaving you with no resolution and no refund. Also, the required mediation charges will still be owed in full. 
3. Name-calling or other inappropriate/disagreeable/hostile behavior toward the mediator, another party, or either attorney will end the session.
4. Payment is still due in full at the conclusion of mediation whether a settlement (full or partial) was reached or not. It is up to you to come to the negotiating table in good faith and be willing to compromise on some issues. 
5. Florida Rule 10.420 on mediation conduct further dictates that: 

• We will adjourn or terminate any mediation which, if continued, would result in unreasonable emotional or monetary costs to the parties.
• We will adjourn or terminate the mediation if we believe the case is unsuitable for mediation or any party is unable or unwilling to participate meaningfully in the process.
• We will terminate a mediation entailing fraud, duress, the absence of bargaining ability, or unconscionability.
• We will terminate any mediation if the physical safety of any person is endangered by the continuation of mediation or if a threat of abuse  or retaliation after mediation is possible. 
• Mediation communications are held under strict confidentiality laws unless either party discloses that they are planning to or have already committed a crime per Florida Statue 44.405, in which case the mediator is legally obligated to report it. 

We hold mediation sessions virtually via Zoom video conferencing software. Learn more about virtual mediation sessions below. 

• Virtual mediation is approved by all Florida courts and is a very popular and convenient option. We conduct virtual mediation via Zoom video conferencing software. 

• You must DOWNLOAD ZOOM https://zoom.us/download prior to your virtual mediation so you can login to the secure session. You do not need to create or purchase an account.

• Joining a Zoom meeting is as simple as clicking the custom meeting link you will be sent via email before the session. 

• Within the Zoom session, you and your attorney will be separated into a private ‘breakout room’ together, so that you can work together privately and so that the other party cannot hear or see you. 

• All virtual mediation sessions are still confidential and private, and sessions are never recorded. 

• We recommend finding a quiet/private place, with your attorney (maybe at his/her office) or from your home, with strong internet access to do your Zoom mediation session. 

Please email Danielle@PondFamilyMediation.com if you run into any technical difficulties. Most attorneys are very familiar with Zoom now also, so your attorney should also be able to assist you. 

Great! Settling out of court is the ideal situation and our goal. If the parties reach an agreement on all issues, you or your attorney(s) can file a Mediated Marital Settlement Agreement along with the required family law forms to file the case uncontested. If you both agree to the terms of your settlement during mediation, once that portion of the session is concluded and my obligation as your neutral meditor is finished, I can assist you in completing the required documents and family law forms you'll need to file your case so at the end you'll be all done!  

• If the court orders you to attend mediation, you will receive an Order of Referral to Mediation in the mail or by e-mail depending on how you’ve elected to receive notifications. Please provide this Order when requesting your mediation session so we can file a Notice of Mediation on your behalf to notify the court you are complying with the Order. 

• Review the Order of Referral carefully. It may order you to use a specific mediator or give you the option to choose one. If the court automatically assigned you a mediator, you can often file an appeal to request an alternate designation of an outside mediator if both parties agree. 

• If you decide to use the family court’s mediator, you are usually limited to a certain amount of time (2-hours) which makes settling an entire divorce very challenging. Also, they usually do not have mental health experience or a family therapy background, so they cannot help navigate disagreements that go deeper than the surface issues. That’s the advantage of working with Pond Family Mediation. Mrs. Pond's background in family therapy gives you a unique advantage to uncover the real motiviation behind specific demands so that peaceful resolutions can be reached. 

• If you decide to get a more experienced family-focused mediator to help you, we would be happy to provide a brief case review by phone so you can determine if you’d like to work with Pond Family Mediation and if your case is a good fit for mediation. 

• Using a private mediator may cost more than the court-appointed mediator. But, the ability to resolve more or all of the issues at hand may save you thousands of dollars by avoiding trial proceedings. So, it's an investment that really pays you back in savings.