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Practice Area

Florida Circuit Court Mediation

Resolve your dispute faster, at lower cost, and on terms you help shape - rather than leaving the outcome to a judge.
A Better Path Forward

Settle It at the Table,
Not in the Courtroom

Litigation is slow, public, and expensive – and at the end of it, a judge who has known your situation for a few hours decides how it ends. Mediation puts that decision back in the hands of the people it actually affects.

Maylene Abad is a Florida Supreme Court-certified Circuit Court Mediator with more than 30 years of legal and business experience. She combines a working knowledge of Florida law with an ear for what is driving the conflict, which is often not the issue named in the pleadings. That combination is what moves parties toward agreements that hold up.

Sessions are available for court-ordered mediation and for parties who choose to mediate before a case is ever filed. Both are conducted in English or Spanish.

Areas of Focus

Disputes We Mediate

Estate, Trust & Probate Disputes

Disagreements among heirs, will and trust contests, personal representative conflicts, and disputes over inherited property.

Real Estate & Title Conflicts

Contract and closing disputes, boundary and easement disagreements, co-ownership and partition matters, landlord-tenant conflicts.

Family Matters

Sensitive family disputes where preserving the relationship - and keeping details private - matters as much as the terms of the settlement.

Business & Contract Disagreements

Partner and shareholder disputes, contract performance issues, and commercial conflicts between small businesses and vendors.
The Advantage

Why Parties Choose This Mediator

Court-Certified Credentials

Certification as a Florida Supreme Court Circuit Court Mediator means sessions satisfy court-ordered mediation requirements and follow established Florida standards of conduct.

Legal and Commercial Perspective

Over 30 years as an attorney and 25+ years as a licensed real estate broker associate — useful when the dispute involves property values, contracts, or the practical cost of a deal falling apart.

Confidential, Bilingual, Flexible

Florida law protects what is said in mediation. Sessions can be held in person or by video, in English or Spanish, on a schedule that works for both sides.
Common Queries

Frequently Asked Questions

Mediation itself is voluntary – no one is forced to settle. But if the parties reach an agreement and sign a written settlement, it becomes a binding, enforceable contract. If no agreement is reached, the case simply continues on its existing track.

Yes. Florida’s mediation confidentiality statutes protect communications made during the session. With limited exceptions, what is discussed cannot be used later in court, which is precisely what allows parties to speak candidly and explore options they would never put in a filing

Yes, and in most litigated matters you should. The mediator is a neutral third party who does not represent either side and does not provide legal advice to the participants. Your attorney advises you; the mediator helps both sides find common ground.

Most matters are resolved in a single session of two to four hours. Complex disputes with multiple parties or substantial assets may need a full day or a follow-up session – still a fraction of the time and cost of taking a case to trial.