As the summer heats up, we have been busy preparing for the annual conference and implementing the changes to CME and mediator qualifications which take full effect on August 1. We also are continuing to monitor the Florida Supreme Court’s release of opinions, awaiting the results of the second Oral Argument in SC05-998, In Re: Petition of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules and Policy Committee on Amendments to Florida Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators. In answer to the questions so many of you pose: 1) we do not have any special advance notice of how the Court will rule and 2) we do not know when the Court’s opinion will be released. Watch the website (www.flcourts.org/adr) because we will update it with a link to the Opinion as soon as it is released (which incidentally is on Thursdays).

When the last Newsletter went out, we were able to inform you that Rosezetta Bobo had departed, but we had not yet hired Earnestine Reshard who I am delighted to introduce to you. Earnestine hit the ground running, immediately delving into the program statistics in order to get the FY 2005 – 2006 Compendium of Mediation and Arbitration Programs complete and to the printer. As I write this message, the Compendium is available on line and should be delivered from the printer today. Special thanks to all of the DRC staff who worked on this project, but especially Ramon for the development of the electronic data collection form, Stephanie for the initial collection of information, Kimberly for all her technical assistance, and Earnestine for completing the charts, and seeing the project through to its completion. Plans are already underway to begin collecting the information for FY 2006 – 2007 and we hope to have that data available to you by the end of the calendar year.

I hope you will review the proposed amendment to Florida Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators Rule 10.610, Advertising and provide your recommendations to the Supreme Court Committee on ADR Rules and Policy via the on-line survey linked to the recommendations. I want to highlight that the Committee, via an Advertising and Public Education Subcommittee chaired by Judge Burton Conner, has been working on this rule amendment for a significant period of time, but it is in no way a final product. The Committee is very interested in comments, suggestions and ideas from mediators about the proposal and ways to improve the language. The time to impact the proposal is now. Please take a few moments to review the rule proposal and respond.

In a sneak peek on what’s coming up, we just received the consultants’ report on the Assessment of the Mediation Training Standards and Procedures and in the next issue we will feature the recommendations from that report.

I’ll end my message with a point of personal privilege. I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my friends and colleagues who have responded with kind notes of support and sympathy on learning of the passing of my father, Lionel Press. Needless to say, it has been a difficult period of time, but with the incredible support of my colleagues at the DRC who picked up all of the loose ends and kept everything running smoothly during my 2 week unexpected absence, all of you who have sent your thoughts, and my wonderful family with whom I was able to cry and laugh, I am moving forward in celebration of my father’s life. His generosity, spirit, and quest for justice for everyone will continue to inspire me in all that I do.

PS: I look forward to seeing you at the Annual DRC Conference August 23 – 25! If you have not yet made your hotel reservations, do not delay!

Sharon