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Dispute Resolution Education & Training

Please check this Web page for all updates

Questions or special accommodations?
Please contact Kevin Lottes at kevin.lottes@sc.ohio.gov or 614.387.9420.

NOTE: All training will be offered in an online platform. Participants who register for training through OhioCourtEDU will be notified of login instructions upon registration confirmation.

View schedule organized by date

Sept. 15, 2025
1 - 4:15 p.m. via Zoom

Navigating Ethical Crossroads: Real-World Ethical Dilemmas
Terry Wheeler

Even the most conscientious mediators can be caught off guard by ethical issues. Join this interactive session to review Ohio’s ethical guardrails, the Uniform Mediation Act, Rule 16 of the Rules of Superintendence, The Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators and the newly revised Model Standards of Practice for Family and Divorce Mediation and then discuss scenarios based on real life ethical challenges.

Ethical and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Dispute Resolution
Amy Schmitz

Dispute resolution practitioners have been thrust into innumerable forms of technology, which have both improved practice and created new challenges. Thus far, final decisions about most disputes continue to be made by people. However, we are nearing computer-generated determinations, beyond negotiation strategies. We also now see the use of generative AI for things like generating options in mediation and helping frame conversations. Are there future opportunities for unbiased, value-free AI that determines disputes? What are the promises and pitfalls of AI in dispute resolution? What should be considered for responsible use of AI, and what laws exist or are on the horizon with respect to AI? This session will outline AI and data analytics uses by dispute resolution practitioners and raise questions about ethical challenges that may ensue.

Faculty:

Terry Wheeler is an attorney and mediator at Artz, Dewhirst & Wheeler in Columbus, Ohio practicing in the areas of civil, employment and personal injury litigation and mediation and criminal defense. He also mediates Government Conflict Resolution Services cases for the Supreme Court of Ohio. He is an adjunct professor at Capital University Law School and the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law teaching negotiation, mediation and mediation clinic courses. He has served as temporary Mediation Counsel for the Supreme Court of Ohio. Terry started mediating in 1983 and was actively involved in the advancement of the Ohio Uniform Mediation Act and the Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators, as well as other state and national initiatives. He is a former president of the board and current member of the Association for Conflict Resolution. He is also a member of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Committee, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Ohio Mediation Association.

Amy J. Schmitz is a professor at the Ohio State Moritz College of Law and Program on Dispute Resolution and a co-director of the Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI) CoP for Responsible Data Science at The Ohio State University. She also directs the JusticeTech Program and is affiliated with the Ohio State Program on Data Governance and the Divided Community Project. Before teaching at Ohio State, Schmitz taught at the University of Missouri School of Law and Center for Dispute Resolution and at the University of Colorado School of Law. Prior to teaching, Schmitz practiced law with large law firms in Seattle and Minneapolis and served as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. She has been heavily involved in Arbitration and LegalTech teaching and research for a long time, is a Fellow of the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution and was the co-chair of the ABA Technology Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section and the ODR Task Force. Schmitz is also an elected member of the American Law Institute, the 2023 winner of the Association of American Law Schools Technology, Law and Legal Education Section Award, and the recent winner of the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution Scholarly Achievement Award in 2025. She also is a researcher with the ACT Project exploring AI and dispute resolution at the Cyberjustice Laboratory in Montreal, Canada, and is heavily involved in discussions and research around technology and access to justice. 

Credit Hours:
Approved for 3.0 attorney professional conduct CLE credits

Registration

Oct. 15, 2025
1 - 4:15 p.m. via Zoom

Preparing for Difficult Mediations

Course Description:
Throughout your mediation career, you will inevitably facilitate disputes that contain more challenging factors than others. This course will provide you with tools to identify what variables suggest that a mediation may be more difficult and techniques to address these factors before and during the mediation process to achieve maximum success.

Faculty:

Kathryn L. Wollenburg received her Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in Columbus where she was a member of Law Review and earned a concentration in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Before joining the Sixth Circuit Mediation Office in 2018, Wollenburg served for 12 years as Mediation Director and Staff Counsel for the General Division Common Pleas Court in Union County, Ohio, mediating over 200 cases annually. To support her passion for the practice of mediation, she served as an appointed Executive Board Member and Newsletter Editor for the Ohio Mediation Association from 2011-2016. 

John A. Minter is a graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he received a certification in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He later worked at Moritz as the Langdon Fellow in Dispute Resolution, providing instruction on mediation and other issues in dispute resolution. John mediated within the Ohio court system for several years working as a foreclosure and general civil mediator for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and as the mediator for the Ohio Ninth District Court of Appeals. Minter has been at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals for 5 years. Prior to working as a court mediator, John was an assistant prosecutor for Marion County, Ohio, and had a private legal practice.

Credit Hours:
Approved for 3.0 general CLE credits

Registration

Nov. 13, 2025
9 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Helping Families and Avoiding Vicarious Trauma: Implications for Parenting Coordinators

Course Description:
Parenting coordination can be an emotionally challenging profession, which may involve professional threats, assaults on competence, and harassment. This workshop provides professionals with the necessary tools and strategies to combat biases, safeguard objectivity, and heighten risk management while working with high-conflict parents. The workshop will also focus on what it means to be multiculturally competent, along with tools to recognize signs and mitigate risks of compassion fatigue.

Faculty:
Dr. Debra Carter is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, licensed in Florida since 1987. She is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator and a Parent Coordinator. She is co-founder and Chief Clinical Director of the National Cooperative Parenting Center (NCPC) offering a wide spectrum of services to the mental health and legal communities as well as to families and children who are struggling with divorce related issues. She is a Qualified Parenting Coordinator Trainer, a frequent expert to the court, and an in-demand speaker and lecturer on parenting in divorce. Dr. Carter is the leader in the development of standardized Parental Responsibility Guidelines emphasizing the needs of children in divorce, which have been adopted and endorsed by the court. The Florida Psychological Association has honored her with the following awards: the Child, Adolescent, and Family Division "Outstanding Contributions Award" (1998), "Psychologist of the Year" (1999), "Distinguished Psychologist" and "Outstanding Work in the Profession of Psychology" (2001), and "Exceptional Legislative Efforts" (2004). She received the prestigious "Presidents Award" from the Florida Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts in 2010, and the International Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts awarded her with the "John E. Van Duzer Distinguished Service Award," also in 2010. Dr. Carter is the author of Parenting Coordination: A Practical Guide for Family Law Professionals published in February, 2011 by Springer Publishing, several articles on empirically-based parenting plans, parenting coordination and family law matters.

Credit Hours:
Approved for 3.0 general CLE credits

Tuition and Materials:
This webinar is free. Materials are provided electronically.

Questions? Contact Kevin Lottes at Kevin.Lottes@sc.ohio.gov

Registration

Dec. 1, 2025
1 - 4:45 p.m.

Challenging Issues in Divorce Financial Mediation

Faculty:

Scott N. Friedman is a founding partner and owner at Friedman & Mirman Co., L.P.A. and Friedman & Mirman Civil Solutions, LLC in Columbus, Ohio. He is a mediator, arbitrator, and litigator. He has 27 years of experience handling all aspects of family law including complex financial matters, child custody issues, premarital agreements, post nuptial agreements, and all post-decree matters. He is an Ohio State Bar Association Board Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law. 

Friedman served as chair of the American Bar Association Family Law Section in 2013-2014 and is currently a Section Delegate to the House of Delegates in the American Bar Association. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial lawyers and ranked by Chambers High Net Worth. Friedman has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for Family Law 2014-2025. He was named Family Law, Lawyer of the Year for Columbus, Ohio in Best Lawyers in America in 2020. He has been an instructor at the American Bar Association Family Law Section’s Trial Advocacy Institute, has written many articles and publications, and has presented nationally on all areas of family law.

John Christensen is the managing director of business valuations and forensic accounting for Levin & Brend, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois and Cleveland, Ohio. At Levin & Brend, he specializes in the areas of business valuation, forensic accounting, shareholder disputes, transactional advisory services, and litigation support services. Christensen has extensive experience in working with attorneys from around the country as a testifying expert in complex financial cases, including family law and corporate disputes.

In addition to his work at Levin & Brend, Christensen has also worked in mergers and acquisitions at Reyes Holdings, LLC, a $40 billion food and beverage distributor, and at Arthur Andersen, LLP in Chicago, Illinois.

Christensen has presented numerous continuing education seminars on business valuation, forensic accounting, and other financial topics. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in both Illinois and Ohio, a CFA Charterholder, an Accredited Senior Appraiser, Accredited in Business Valuation, Certified in Financial Forensics, and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Credit Hours:

Applied for 3.0 general CLE credits

Nov. 13, 2025
9 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Helping Families and Avoiding Vicarious Trauma: Implications for Parenting Coordinators

Course Description:
Parenting coordination can be an emotionally challenging profession, which may involve professional threats, assaults on competence, and harassment. This workshop provides professionals with the necessary tools and strategies to combat biases, safeguard objectivity, and heighten risk management while working with high-conflict parents. The workshop will also focus on what it means to be multiculturally competent, along with tools to recognize signs and mitigate risks of compassion fatigue.

Faculty:
Dr. Debra Carter is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, licensed in Florida since 1987. She is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator and a Parent Coordinator. She is co-founder and Chief Clinical Director of the National Cooperative Parenting Center (NCPC) offering a wide spectrum of services to the mental health and legal communities as well as to families and children who are struggling with divorce related issues. She is a Qualified Parenting Coordinator Trainer, a frequent expert to the court, and an in-demand speaker and lecturer on parenting in divorce. Dr. Carter is the leader in the development of standardized Parental Responsibility Guidelines emphasizing the needs of children in divorce, which have been adopted and endorsed by the court. The Florida Psychological Association has honored her with the following awards: the Child, Adolescent, and Family Division "Outstanding Contributions Award" (1998), "Psychologist of the Year" (1999), "Distinguished Psychologist" and "Outstanding Work in the Profession of Psychology" (2001), and "Exceptional Legislative Efforts" (2004). She received the prestigious "Presidents Award" from the Florida Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts in 2010, and the International Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts awarded her with the "John E. Van Duzer Distinguished Service Award," also in 2010. Dr. Carter is the author of Parenting Coordination: A Practical Guide for Family Law Professionals published in February, 2011 by Springer Publishing, several articles on empirically-based parenting plans, parenting coordination and family law matters.

Credit Hours:
Approved for 3.0 general CLE credits

Tuition and Materials:
This webinar is free. Materials are provided electronically.

Questions? Contact Kevin Lottes at Kevin.Lottes@sc.ohio.gov

Registration

Nov. 12-13; 18-19, 2025
8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. each day

Who Should Attend:
Individuals who are interested in learning how to mediate abuse, neglect, and dependency cases in a court setting.

Course Description:
Participants will discuss the legal and social theories behind mediating this case type, explain the various stakeholders that need to be involved both in program planning and in the mediation process, and practice conducting these multi-party mediations. Topics will include terminology related to Ohio dependency law, the court process, mediating within statutory parameters, domestic abuse, child abuse, impact of socio-economic and diversity factors, and strengthening community resources and referral systems.

This training is required under Rule 16.22 and 16.23 of the Rules of Superintendence for the courts of Ohio, for all mediators who wish to receive child protection mediation referrals from an Ohio court.

Training Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Establish an appropriate process to conduct child protection mediation;
  • Identify the parties necessary for child protection mediation;
  • Explain the role of all participants in child protection mediation; and
  • Demonstrate an appropriate child protection mediation in a role play scenario.

Pre-Requisites:
Prior to attending this course, the following pre-requisites must be met:

Credit Hours:
Approval has been requested for 28.0 total CLE credit hours, including 1.0 hours of professional conduct.

Tuition:
This course is tuition-free. Materials are sent to participants via email a week prior to the training dates.

Registration

Oct. 8-9, 2025
8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. each day

Who Should Attend:
Individuals who are interested in learning how to mediate family cases in a court setting.

Course Description:
The Domestic Abuse Issues and Mediation training curriculum is a blended learning approach consisting of an online learning course followed by a two-day live interactive classroom training program. This training is designed to provide both substantive and experiential learning to participants on the importance of identifying and appropriately responding to domestic abuse issues in mediation (note: mediation of the domestic abuse itself is never appropriate).

Faculty uses a combination of lecture, interactive large group discussion, small group work, and role plays to ensure that participants not only understand how domestic abuse issues effect mediation, but are able to incorporate and apply what they are learning in a safe and supportive environment.

This training is required under Rule 16.22 and 16.23 of the Rules of Superintendence for the courts of Ohio, for all mediators who wish to receive family law mediation referrals from an appellate court, court of common pleas, municipal court, or county court.

Training Objectives:
Upon completion of this training session, participants will be able to:

  • Screen for and recognize dynamics of domestic abuse used for coercive control during intake and through ongoing mediation sessions;
  • Understand why a history of domestic abuse by one party against a current or former intimate partner is presumed to make mediation an inappropriate means of dispute resolution;
  • Identify whether an abused party who nonetheless wants to mediate is able to safely and meaningfully participate in the process;
  • Be able to implement a range of accommodations to enhance safety of all participants during screening and throughout mediation, and to safely terminate mediation when continuing is inappropriate.

Pre-Requisites:
Prior to attending this course, the following pre-requisites must be met:

Credit Hours:
Approved for 13.50 CLE general credit hours

Tuition:
This course is tuition-free. Materials are sent to participants via email a week prior to the training dates.

Registration

Oct. 16-17, 2025
8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. each day

Who Should Attend:
Individuals who have are interested in mediating cases and disputes for probate courts.

Pre-Requisites:
In order to attend this course, the following pre-requisites must be met:

Course Description:
This training focuses on Adult Guardianship and Family Caregiver Mediation and the differences between other types of mediation and elder mediation. In this training, participants will focus on the mediator's responsibility toward inclusion of the older person's voice in the mediation and techniques for working in multiparty family mediations.

At the conclusion of the training, participants will be prepared to organize and perform elder mediations. This training will not certify participants as a mediator but is meant as an advanced training for those who have already taken basic mediation training, and an introduction to Elder Mediation for those who have not.

This training covers the following topics:

  • Differences between elder mediation and other types of mediation
  • Guardianship/conservatorship law and practice
  • Capacity and disability issues
  • Legal red flags
  • Elder abuse
  • Confidentiality issues
  • Multiparty mediation and family dynamics
  • Deciding who should be present at the mediation
  • Working with attorneys, court representatives, GALs, and institutional representatives
  • Role of community resources, support persons, advocates, and surrogates in mediation

Training Objectives:
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Understand elder mediation theory and practice, including the importance of inclusion of the older person in the mediation;
  • Learn how to manage multi-party mediations and identify the challenges for mediation with family dynamics; and
  • Learn about how the aging process and dementia affect the mediation.

Credit Hours:
Approval will be requested for CLE credit hours, including 1.0 hour of professional conduct.

Tuition:
This course is tuition-free. Materials are sent to participants via email a week prior to the training dates.

Registration

Oct. 29-30, 2025
8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. each day

Who Should Attend:
Individuals who are interested in learning how to mediate cases in a court setting.

Course Description:
The Fundamentals of Mediation training curriculum is a blended learning approach consisting of online learning followed by a two-day live interactive classroom training program.

Throughout this blending training curriculum, participants will be introduced to concepts that support the practice of mediation including conflict theory, negotiation and power, communication. This training will introduce core values of mediation and continually reinforce the importance of respecting mediation core values.

This training is highly interactive and fosters participation through group discussion and involvement in small group mediation role play and exercises. Mediation role plays and exercises are drawn from a variety of court mediation practices, giving participants familiarity with the different settings in which courts use mediation.

This training is required under Rule 16.22 and 16.23 of the Rules of Superintendence for the courts of Ohio, for all mediators who wish to receive family law mediation referrals from an appellate court, court of common pleas, municipal court, or county court.

Training Objectives:
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the theory and process of mediation using a six-stage mediation model
  • Apply effective techniques to address common mediation challenges
  • Address safety concerns
  • Appreciate differences of mediation participants
  • Recognize and manage compassion fatigue

Pre-Requisites:
Prior to attending this course, the following pre-requisites must be met:

Credit Hours:
Approval has been requested for 13.0 CLE credit hours, including one hour of professional conduct.

Tuition:
This course is tuition-free. Materials are sent to participants via email a week prior to the training dates.

Registration

Dec. 11, 2025
8:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Who Should Attend:
Individuals who are interested in learning how to conduct a neutral evaluation process in civil or family law cases in a court setting and court staff considering establishing a neutral evaluation program in their court.

Pre-Requisites:
There are no prerequisites to attend this course; however, those interested in becoming a neutral evaluator must comply with the training provisions in Sup.R. 16.53.

Course Description:
The course will provide a “nuts and bolts” of neutral evaluation. It will begin with a review of the new Neutral Evaluation Rules of Superintendence, Sup.R. 16.50-16.55, and local rule and other requirements for courts wishing to establish a neutral evaluation program. Participants will discuss a sample local rule governing neutral evaluation; review documents and forms used for case management; explore the roles of the various participants; and consider how to prepare litigants and attorneys to resolve their cases using the neutral evaluation process. In addition, the presenters will explore with participants the benefits and challenges from each of their diverse perspectives within the court. This workshop will also feature a mock demonstration of a neutral evaluation session.

Faculty:

Richard (Dick) L. Altman is currently a mediator and neutral evaluator in private practice. He was a Magistrate for Fulton and Henry counties for 17 years until he retired in 2021. In 1998, Altman became the first Mediation Coordinator of what is now called Northwest Ohio Court Mediation Services. This program was the first multi-county mediation program in Ohio and quickly became a model for other counties. During his time as the mediation coordinator, he conducted over 2,800 mediation sessions in civil; domestic; juvenile and probate matters. Altman earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Toledo. Following law school, he worked as a private practice attorney and later a prosecutor. He served on the Board of Governors of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts from 2004 through 2017, serving as President in 2014-2015. Additionally, he served on the Ohio Supreme Court’s Dispute Resolution Commission from its inception through 2021, serving as Chair from 2017 through 2020. He is a frequent presenter for the Supreme Court of Ohio and various organizations on topics relating to mediation, neutral evaluation, domestic violence and parenting coordination.

Judge Randall Fuller took office in 2017 as the first Judge of the newly unified Common Pleas Court of Delaware County, Ohio, Domestic Relations Division. Fuller is the President of the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College and on the Executive Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference. Fuller serves on several Ohio Judicial Conference committees including Domestic Relations Law and Procedure, Legislative, and the Judicial Advisory Group (JAG). He is the chair of the Supreme Court’s Family Law Reform Implementation subcommittee of the Ohio Advisory Committee on Children and Families and a frequent lecturer for the Judicial College and at training programs for new judges. Fuller is a past-president and current member of the Board of Directors of the Ohio Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the international AFCC organization. Fuller, a native of Delaware County, graduated from the Ohio State University and the University of Toledo, College of Law. He began his second term as the Delaware County Domestic Relations Judge in January 2023.

Larry McQuain serves as the Court Administrator for Judge Randall Fuller at the Common Pleas Court of Delaware County, Ohio, Domestic Relations Division. He has been appointed to the bench as a Magistrate in the Delaware County Domestic Relations Division, having previously served in this capacity in the Franklin County Domestic and Juvenile Courts. He serves as a neutral evaluator in the Delaware County Domestic Relations Court’s Neutral Evaluation Program. Previously, McQuain practiced law in the private sector and has served as Guardian ad litem representing children’s best interests. McQuain is a seasoned Administrator with experience as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Franklin County Auditor’s Office and former Director of Real Estate and Mediation. While at the Auditor’s office, he spearheaded several initiatives including development of a mediation program on property valuation disputes, which was the first in the State of Ohio under Auditor Clarence Mingo. He also was heavily involved in creating an Employee Recognition Program for the office. He is the president of the Ohio Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), and a member of the Ohio Association for Court Administration (OACA), the Delaware County Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, and Columbus Bar Association. He is also a travel baseball coach and proud father of two amazing children, Ryan and Logan.

Patricia O’Malley has served as a Magistrate for the Hamilton County Court of Domestic Relations since October 2021 and as Director of the Court’s Dispute Resolution Department since Jan. 1, 2023. In her role, she acts as a mediator and neutral evaluator while overseeing a team of 11 social workers, counselors, magistrate mediators, and support staff. O'Malley has presented on dispute resolution processes for the Ohio Association of Magistrates, the Cincinnati Bar Association, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. She also contributed to the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Parenting Coordinator Toolkit committee. Before joining the Court, O'Malley practiced family law and general civil litigation in private practice, served as in-house corporate counsel, and worked as a law clerk for the Court of Appeals, 1st District, San Francisco, California. She earned her B.A. in English with honors from UCLA in 1992 and her J.D. from UC Law San Francisco in 1996. O'Malley was admitted to the California Bar in 1996 and the Ohio Bar in 2010.

Credit Hours:
Approval has been requested for 3.0 total general CLE credit hours.

Tuition:
This course is tuition-free. Materials are sent to participants via email a week prior to the training dates.

Registration

Sept. 25-26, 2025
9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. each day

Who Should Attend:
Individuals who are interested in learning how to mediate cases in a family court setting.

Course Description:

This training will take participants through the process, activities, and role of a Parenting Coordinator and the information and skills relevant to the services of a Parenting Coordinator. Within this format, participants will receive information focusing on the psychological dynamics of the parents and the impact of the conflict on the children. The workshop will emphasize the practical aspects of serving as a parenting coordinator. The use of parenting coordination in cases with allegations of domestic violence, alienation and child abuse will be discussed, as well as the types of cases that are not appropriate for parenting coordination. This training will also discuss the ethical issues inherent in this role and present an overview of standards of practice.

Pre-Requisites:
In order to attend this course, the following pre-requisites must be met:

Tuition:
This course is tuition-free. Materials are sent to participants via email a week prior to the training dates.

Credit Hours:
Approval has been requested for 12.0 total general CLE credit hours, including 1.0 hours of professional conduct.

Registration

Dispute Resolution

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