Dispute Resolution Education & Training

TBD

TBD

Feb. 18 -19; 25-26, 2026
Nov. 12-13; 19-20, 2026
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:

• Fundamentals in Mediation Training (or equivalent as set forth in Rule 16.23(A) of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio);
• Specialized Family or Divorce Mediation Training;
• Specialized Domestic Abuse Issues and Mediation Training;
• ADR: Overview of Child Protection Mediation;
• ADR: Parties in Child Protection Mediation;
• ADR: Specialized Dockets in Child Protection Mediation;
• ADR: Ethics in Child Protection Mediation; and
• ADR: Statutes and Rules in Child Protection Mediation

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

April 15-16, 2026
Oct. 20-21, 2026
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:

• Fundamentals of Mediation Training (or equivalent as set forth in Rule 16.23(A) of the Rules of Superintendence for the courts of Ohio);
• ADR: Domestic Abuse Issues in Mediation 2024

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. 6-7, 2026
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:

• Fundamentals in Mediation Training (or equivalent as set forth in Rule 16.23(A) of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio)

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

Jan. 27-28, 2026
March 31 – April 1, 2026
July 15-16, 2026
Aug. 26-27, 2026
Oct. 27-28, 2026.
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:

• Complete the online courses on OhioCourtEDU:
  • Introduction to the Fundamentals of Mediation;
  • An Introduction to Mediation - Statutes, Regulations, Rules, Standards, and Ethics;
  • Implicit Bias and the Courts for Court Staff and Affiliates

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:

• Fundamentals in Mediation Training (or equivalent as set forth in Rule 16.23(A) of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio);
• Specialized Family or Divorce Mediation Training; and
• Specialized Domestic Abuse Issues and Mediation Training

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

Dates TBD

Who Should Attend:
Mediators

Course Description:
This course is designed to prepare professional mediators to navigate the situations commonly encountered by students, schools, and families when confronted with barriers that may hinder school attendance. 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 school attendance mediation referrals from a juvenile court in Ohio. As a result of this course, participants will be able to:

• Know the legislative framework for attendance in Ohio; 
• Gain competency in conducting school attendance mediations; and
• Reinforce mediation core values and standards for school attendance cases.

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

• Fundamentals in Mediation Training (or equivalent as set forth in Sup.R. 16.23(A))

CLE Hours: 13.75 general Continuing Legal Education. No Judicial College credit. To receive credit you must complete the entire course. The Dispute Resolution Section will submit CLE credit on your behalf to the Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education within 30 days.

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

Registration

March 3-4; 10-11, 2026
Sept. 23-24; 30-October 1, 2026
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 Specialized Family or Divorce Mediation training curriculum is a blended learning approach consisting of three online learning modules followed by a four-day live interactive classroom training program. Throughout this blending training curriculum, participants will be introduced to concepts that support the practice of mediation in family law cases including an overview of the theory and process framing divorce or family mediation, an introduction to family systems, family dynamics, and child development in the context of mediation, and an overview of the statutes, rules, standards and ethics of governing mediation in family cases. This training is an advanced training that will cover all aspects of mediation in family law cases. 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 mediation referrals from a domestic relations or juvenile court in Ohio. As a result of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply the theory and process of mediation to family and divorce cases;
• Recognize the statutes, rules, standards and ethics that apply to family and divorce cases;
• Use effective communication in family and divorce mediation;
• Demonstrate appropriate screening and safety techniques; and
• Know the impact of substance abuse and mental health issues, child development, and high conflict personalities on mediation in family law cases.

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

• Fundamentals of Mediation Training (or equivalent as set forth in Sup.R. 16.23(A));
• Complete the following online learning modules available on OhioCourtEDU prior to the in-person classroom learning:
• ADR: Overview of Divorce/Family Mediation 
• ADR: Statutes, Rules, Standards and Ethics in Divorce & Family Mediation 
• ADR: Family Systems, Family Dynamics & Child Developments Topics 

CLE Hours: 23.25 general Continuing Legal Education and 0.75 Attorney Professional Conduct credits. No Judicial College credit. To receive credit you must complete the entire course. The Dispute Resolution Section will submit CLE credit on your behalf to the Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education within 30 days.

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

Registration