Mediation clinic is a clinical experience for students who have completed the
Mediation class. Students will mediate disputes in a variety of settings
including Small Claims Court and the Municipal Court. Additionally, students
will mediate disputes referred directly to the clinic. Students must have
completed the first year evening courses and Mediation before enrolling in this
3 credit-hour clinic.
In addition to some classroom work involving general skills training in the
techniques needed to conduct a mediation, students will spend a majority of the
time conducting actual mediations at the Franklin County Municipal Court and the
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Domestic Relations Division, Juvenile
Branch. Types of mediation cases could include:
1. Conciliation Program - Mediations of civil disputes that have not yet been
filed as actual law suits.
2. Small Claims Court Mediations involve disputes of $3,000.00 or less. Most
trials are scheduled before a Magistrate within 4 to 6 weeks of filing.
Attorneys may or may not be involved in these lawsuits.
3. Court Referred Mediations are cases that are referred by any of the 16
Judges of the Franklin County Municipal Court. Most of these cases have
attorneys representing one or both sides. These disputes could involve matters
ranging from 0 - $15,000.00.
4. Rent Escrow Mediations occur when a tenant officially places rent in
escrow. The first step in the process of having the rent released is a mediation
that is scheduled between the landlord and the tenant.
5. Juvenile Victim-Offender Mediation Program is a diversion program in
Juvenile Court for first and second time juvenile offenders. This programs
allows the victim and juvenile offender to meet in a face-to-face meeting with
the assistance of a trained, neutral mediator. The parties work together to
reach a mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute; solutions could range
from clarifications of misunderstandings, apologies, or agreements that
compensate the victim for harm incurred by the offender. A co-mediator model is
used.
6. Private mediations are mediations that become available through private,
non-court affiliated requests.
For more information about Mediation Clinic, contact Professor Terry Wheeler at 614-221-0944.