Mediation Rooms - New Traffic Patterns

In order to maximize our use of Courtrooms/Jury Rooms 3B and 3C and the small mediation rooms in Suite 303, please access these rooms as follows:

Jury Room 3B - Access through Suite 303. Turn LEFT at Sharon’s desk, proceed through Bev’s office into the hallway and enter the jury room area through the door on the RIGHT.

Bev’s Mediation Room - Access through Suite 303. Turn LEFT at Sharon’s desk, proceed through Bev’s office into the hallway. The mediation room is through the door on the LEFT.

Jury Room 3C - Access through Suite 303. Turn RIGHT at Sharon’s desk, proceed through Robin’s office into the hallway and enter the jury room area through the door on the LEFT.

Robin’s Mediation Room - Access through Suite 303. Turn RIGHT at Sharon’s desk, proceed through Robin’s office into the hallway. The mediation room is through the door on the RIGHT.

Access to Courtroom 3B and Courtroom 3C is via the public hallway.

PLEASE FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THESE ROOM LOCATIONS. By observing these traffic patterns, mediators and litigants will not have to walk through an ongoing mediation in order to caucus or access the assigned mediation room. Mediators will not be assigned to either Bev’s office or Robin’s office in order to keep these areas clear for traffic.

Reminders- Please Take Note

1.        Everything in the courtroom is recorded. Be very cognizant of everything you say because it is being included as part of the permanent public record. The microphones may be small and unobtrusive, but they hear everything!

 

2.        Do not comment on or otherwise discuss litigants or mediated cases with the Clerk. Also, never discuss these types of things in the public areas of the courthouse, including and especially the courtroom.

Including Accruing Interest In Agreements

Occasionally a plaintiff and defendant will agree to include accruing interest on an unpaid balance as part of the terms of the mediated agreement. For example, a finance company that has been collecting interest at a rate of 18 percent on a loan that is now in default may wish to continue to collect the interest while the loan is being repaid in accordance with the terms of the mediation agreement. Interest is not specifically mentioned on the Results of Mediation form, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be included as part of the agreement if one or both of the parties have identified accruing interest as an issue. (The mediator should not raise the issue!) A simple sentence that reads “Interest will accrue at a rate of 18 percent per year on the unpaid balance” is sufficient. It is up to the parties, not the mediator, to amortize the amounts.

 

Calendar

Please take note of the following important dates through the end of 2004:

September 6	Labor Day - Court Holiday
September 17	September CME Luncheon
October 15	October CME Luncheon
October 29	No Court
November 11-12	Veterans Day/Homecoming Court Holidays - No Court
November 19	November CME Luncheon
November 25-26	Thanksgiving Holiday
December 17	No Court; Holiday Appreciation Luncheon
Thursday, December 23	Pretrials to be held on this Thursday instead of Friday
December 24	Court Holiday - No Court
December 31	Court Holiday - No Court

   How to reach us:

 

If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in county mediation proceedings you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the Court Administrator’s Office by phone at (352) 337-6237 or in person or in writing at 201 E. University Ave, Gainesville FL 32601 within 2 working days of your receipt of this newsletter; if you are hearing impaired, call (800) 955-8771; if you are voice impaired, call (800) 955-8770.

 

Eighth Judicial Circuit County Mediation Program Results

 

April through August 2004

               

 

 

 

2004 Year-To-Date

January through August 

 

 

Note: The percentage of written agreements does not include pending continued cases.