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Information for Mediators

How to Become an ADR Neutral for the Courts

The Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service (CADRES) maintains statewide rosters for all courts in all counties of individuals who are eligible to provide mediation and other ADR services to parties in Maine state court cases.

The statewide rosters are:

Small Claims Mediation;
Forcible Entry and Detainer (eviction) Mediation;
Family Matters Mediation;
Land Use/Environmental/Natural Gas Pipeline Mediation;
General Civil Litigation Mediation;
Superior Court Mediation;
Superior Court Arbitration (non-binding); and
Superior Court Early Neutral Evaluation.

Neutrals must fulfill different requirements to serve on one or more rosters.

Application and Timing

You must submit an application to be included on a court roster. CADRES rosters are open to new neutrals twice a year. Applicants may apply at any time. All applications received will be kept on file and reviewed twice annually after the regular application deadlines of January 31 and July 31.

The Foreclosure Diversion Plan roster is open to new mediators only during periods of recruitment, on an "as needed" basis. If you are interested in being included on this roster, please provide your contact information to the FDP.

If you are provisionally accepted as a neutral, you must pass a background check and attend an orientation session held by CADRES and/or FDP.
Once accepted to a roster, a CADRES neutral must:

Sign a contract as an independent contractor (for certain mediation rosters);
Agree to abide by the Code of Conduct for ADR Neutrals;
Comply with the CADRES Operational Rules;
Follow the CADRES Policy and Procedure Manual; and
Complete annual continuing education requirements to remain active on the applicable roster(s). (Six hours for small claims and FED mediators; 12 hours for all other CADRES rosters). CADRES offers annual continuing education programs.

Rostered FDP mediators must meet the requirements of 14 M.R.S. section 6321-A and must:

Agree to abide by the Code of Conduct for ADR Neutrals and
Follow the CADRES Policy and Procedure Manual.

Neutrals may choose the courts they wish to serve but may not be assigned to all of the courts requested. Neutrals are not assigned to any courts that they do not wish to serve.

Requirements and Information for Mediation Rosters

Family Matters

A minimum of 100 hours of mediation training and experience, including:

At least 40 hours of mediation process training (15 hours in the last two years);
At least 20 hours of experience as a mediator;
At least 10 hours of training or experience in Maine family law; and
At least 8 hours of training related to domestic abuse issues.

Please note: if you are selected as a mediator for family matters cases, you will be asked to provide a monthly or quarterly schedule of dates on which you are available to take mediation assignments from the court clerk.

Small Claims

A minimum of 50 hours of mediation training and experience, including:

At least 20 hours of mediation process training (8 hours in the last two years);
At least 15 hours of experience as a mediator; and
At least 3 hours of training or experience in Maine consumer or debtor/creditor law.

Please note: the schedule of small claims dockets is set by each district court. CADRES schedules mediators to serve at those dockets on a rotating basis. To be assigned to mediate small claims cases, a mediator must be on the Small Claims Mediation Roster.

Eviction (Forcible Entry and Detainer or FED)

A minimum of 50 hours of mediation training and experience, including:

At least 20 hours of mediation process training (8 hours in the last two years);
At least 15 hours of experience as a mediator; and
At least 3 hours of training or experience in Maine landlord-tenant law.

Please note: the schedule of Forcible Eviction and Detainer (FED or eviction) dockets is set by each district court. CADRES schedules mediators to serve at those dockets on a rotating basis. To be assigned to mediate FED cases, a mediator must be on the FED Mediation Roster.

Debt Collection

A minimum of at least 50 hours of mediation training and experience, including:

At least 20 hours of mediation process training (8 hours in the last two years);
At least 15 hours of experience as a mediator; and
At least 3 hours of training or experience in Maine debt collection law.

Mediation in some debt collection cases is scheduled on a case-by-case basis, including on Zoom. At a few courts, dockets are held in the courtroom, and a judge calls a list of these cases. To be assigned to mediate debt collection cases, a mediator must be on the Debt Collection Mediation Roster.

Foreclosure

Minimum requirements:

Be educated and experienced in the professions of law, real estate, accounting, banking, or mediation;
Have work experience that includes foreclosures, credit and collections work, or have done work on behalf of creditors or debtors in actions to collect on mortgages, notes, or debts;
Have successfully completed FDP orientation;
Have received an FDP certificate of qualification to serve as a mediator subject to appropriate terms and conditions; and
Have a laptop computer that is compatible with court printers for use at all mediation sessions. In the alternative, mediators may use laptops or other portable computers and their own printers.

Environmental/Land Use/Natural Gas

A minimum of 110 hours of mediation training and experience, including:

At least 40 hours of mediation process training (15 hours in the last two years);
At least 20 hours of experience as a mediator, facilitator of multi-party contested issues; and
At least 20 hours of training or experience in a land use field.

Please note: mediation of land use, environmental, and natural gas pipeline disputes and general civil/commercial cases is scheduled individually in consultation with the mediator.

General Civil Mediation (District Court)

A minimum of 100 hours of mediation training and experience, including:

At least 40 hours of mediation process training (15 hours in the last two years);
At least 20 hours of experience as a mediator; and
At least 10 hours of training or experience in general civil law and court procedure.

Please note: mediation of general civil cases in Maine District Court is scheduled individually in consultation with the mediator.

Superior Court Civil Mediation

A minimum of 100 hours of training and experience, including:

At least 40 hours of mediation process training (at least 15 hours in the last two years);
At least 20 hours of experience as a mediator; and
At least 10 hours of training or experience in general civil law and court procedure.

Please note: mediation of general civil or commercial cases in Maine Superior Court is scheduled with the mediator you select.

Superior Court Non-Binding Arbitration

An applicant shall:

Be a lawyer for at least eight years (including at least the last three in the State of Maine) and have substantial recent experience in the subject matter of the type of case to be referred; or
Have at least eight years of substantial recent experience (including at least the last three in the State of Maine) in the subject matter of the type of case to be referred (for instance, as a contractor for a contracting dispute, an accountant for a business dispute, or a doctor for a medical dispute); or
Be a member of an arbitration panel of the American Arbitration Association or an equivalent organization for the type of case to be referred.

In addition, an applicant shall:

Have completed at least 6 hours of training in the arbitration process and
Have the ability to conduct an evidentiary hearing.

Superior Court Early Neutral Evaluation