Searchable Mediator Directory: Search for a Mediator with Specific Qualifications

  • The Searchable Mediator Directory is designed to assist parties to a lawsuit and their attorneys in selecting a qualified mediator or mediation service to facilitate the resolution of their dispute outside of court. This Directory is a list of all currently certified mediators who wish to appear in the Directory. In Virginia, mediators who wish to receive court-referred mediations must be certified pursuant to Guidelines adopted by the Judicial Council. Certified mediators may mediate other cases as well. Please note that mediators do not provide legal advice.

  • Mediators may be certified in four categories: General District Court (GDC), Circuit Court-Civil (CCC), Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (J&DR), and Circuit Court-Family (CCF).

    • General District Court (GDC) certification requires at least 20 hours of Basic Mediation training, a 4-hour course on Virginia's Judicial System, two mediation observations and three co-mediations with a certified Mentor.  Mediators who are certified in GDC are qualified to mediate civil cases arising in the General District Court such as contracts, personal injury, employment disputes, or landlord-tenant disputes.
    • Circuit Court-Civil (CCC) certification requires an additional 20 hours of advanced civil training and experience in mediating procedurally complex cases.  Mediators with CCC certification are qualified to mediate civil cases at the Circuit Court level. 
    • Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (J&DR) certification requires 40 hours mediation training (20 hours of Basic and 20 hours of Family specific training), a 4-hour course on Virginia's Judicial System, an 8-hour course on Screening for and Dealing with Domestic Abuse in the Mediation Context, two family mediation observations and five family co-mediations.  Mediators who are certified in J&DR are qualified to mediate cases arising in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, such as divorce, custody, or visitation matters.
    • Circuit Court-Family (CCF) certification requires an additional 12 hours of advanced training in family finance and economic issues including equitable distribution and spousal support in addition to experience in mediating such cases, thus qualifying these mediators to handle cases at the Circuit Court-Family level. Some mediators are certified as both general and family mediators.

    Note: An Advanced Civil or Advanced Family Certificate indicates that a mediator has at least 24 hours of advanced mediation training and at least two hundred hours of mediation experience.

    1. Selecting more than one search criteria option will generate only mediators who meet ALL of the chosen criteria. For example, if you choose "General District Court Certification" AND "J&DR District Court Certification," your search will yield only mediators who have BOTH certifications. The fewer the criteria you select, the greater the number of mediators who will match your search.
    2. Click the SEARCH button to process your search request. Note: Some Web browsers will allow you to press the ENTER button on your keyboard instead of the SEARCH button.
    3. To narrow or expand your search, use the BACK button on your web browser to change the criteria. To deselect an item, click on it.
    4. Upon receiving your search results, click on the name of any mediator identified to view a more detailed profile.

  • You may learn more information on any or all of the mediators identified by double-clicking on their name. The profile information listed has been provided by the mediators to the Office of the Executive Secretary. For more information, please contact the mediator(s) directly. To further narrow or expand your search, you may press the BACK button.