Civil Mediation and Arbitration Services in Broward County, Florida

Civil mediation and arbitration are alternative dispute resolution processes that let parties resolve a Broward County dispute without going to trial — mediation through a negotiated settlement, arbitration through a binding ruling from a neutral. 

Joseph P. Farina provides both services to parties throughout Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Plantation, and Pembroke Pines, through Miami Civil Mediator, a Miami-based mediation and arbitration practice. 

Key Takeaways

• Joseph P. Farina serves parties throughout Broward County as part of his broader South Florida practice.
• Farina handles the same core dispute categories in the county as in Miami-Dade: contract, real estate, construction, HOA, and employer-employee disputes.
• Virtual sessions let parties mediate or arbitrate without traveling to Farina’s Miami office.
• Broward’s own court system, the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, operates a court-connected mediation and arbitration program separate from any private neutral a party selects directly.

Businesses and individuals facing a stalled dispute can schedule a consultation with Joseph P. Farina to discuss mediation or arbitration.

What Types of Disputes Does Farina Mediate and Arbitrate in Broward County?

Farina handles the same core categories of civil disputes for parties in the area that he handles throughout South Florida.

Dispute Type	Common Examples
Contract disputes	Breach of contract, partnership disputes, vendor and service agreements
Real estate disputes	Title issues, purchase and sale disagreements, commercial and residential foreclosures
Construction disputes	Payment disputes, delay claims, workmanship disagreements between owners and contractors
HOA disputes	Assessment disputes, board decisions, enforcement disagreements
Employer-employee disputes	Breach of employment contracts, non-compete agreements, unpaid compensation claims

Parties working through a contract dispute, a real estate dispute, or a construction dispute can retain Farina directly, without needing a case already pending in court.

How Does Mediation Work for Broward County Disputes?

Mediation for a Broward County dispute follows a structured sequence, whether the parties select Farina directly or a local court refers a filed case to mediation.

1. Introduction. Farina opens the session, explains the mediation process, and outlines his role as a neutral.
2. Opening statements. Attorneys present opening statements in a joint session with both parties present.
3. Private caucuses. Farina meets separately with each side, working back and forth between the rooms.
4. Evaluation. Each side works through the strengths and weaknesses of its position and explores settlement options.
5. Settlement. A successful mediation ends with a written settlement agreement the parties intend to be binding once signed.

An HOA dispute or an employer-employee dispute originating in Broward typically follows this same sequence.

How Does Arbitration Work for Broward County Disputes?

Arbitration for a dispute in the area combines three sources of authority: Florida statute, the parties’ own arbitration agreement, and Farina’s stated practice. The governing track also determines whether an award is binding on the parties.

Florida’s Arbitration Code, Chapter 682, requires notice of the arbitration demand and gives the arbitrator authority to require disclosure of any fact affecting impartiality. 

Whether the resulting decision is binding, and on what terms, depends on the parties’ arbitration agreement rather than on the process itself. 

Consistent with that framework, Farina’s stated practice is to hear evidence and witnesses from each side at a private hearing and issue a written ruling within the time set by the agreement. 

Parties whose dispute is already pending in circuit or county court may instead face court-ordered non-binding arbitration under Section 44.103, Florida Statutes, a separate, court-administered process distinct from privately arranged arbitration with Farina.

Why Choose a Miami-Based Neutral for a Broward County Dispute?

A Miami-based neutral like Farina brings the same statewide judicial and JAMS experience to a dispute in the area as to one in Miami-Dade, and virtual sessions remove the need to travel.

• A substantial judicial record. More than three decades on the Miami-Dade bench, including 31 years as a Circuit Court Judge and 14 as Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, followed by full-time JAMS work since 2012, gives parties access to an unusually experienced neutral regardless of where the dispute originated.
• No travel required. Remote sessions let parties mediate or arbitrate without a trip to Miami.
• Continuity for repeat clients. A business or professional that already works with Farina on a Miami-Dade matter can use the same neutral for a Broward dispute instead of vetting someone new.

Is Mediation or Arbitration Better for a Broward County Dispute?

The right process depends on the governing contract and what the parties want from the outcome, not a single universal rule. A few factors typically shape that choice. The core trade-offs are clearest when arbitration and mediation are compared under Florida law.

• Whether a contract already requires one process. An arbitration clause in a purchase agreement, lease, or construction contract generally routes the dispute to arbitration rather than leaving the choice open.
• How much control the parties want over the outcome. Mediation lets the parties negotiate their own settlement; whether an arbitration produces a binding or non-binding decision depends on the parties’ agreement and the applicable statutory track.
• Whether an ongoing relationship matters. Mediation’s negotiated format tends to preserve business or personal relationships better than a third-party-imposed ruling.
• How much finality is needed. A dispute that needs a fast, definitive answer may favor arbitration when the agreement calls for a binding result; a dispute where flexibility matters more may favor mediation.

What Areas of Broward County Does Miami Civil Mediator Serve?

Miami Civil Mediator serves parties in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Plantation, and Pembroke Pines, among other South Florida communities.

Broward County ADR at a Glance	Detail
Private mediation and arbitration	Available directly through Miami Civil Mediator, in person or virtually
Court-connected ADR program	Administered separately by the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida
Governing statutes	Chapter 682 (contractual arbitration), Chapter 44 (court-ordered mediation and arbitration)
Session format	In-person at the Miami office, or virtual by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or WebEx

Cases filed in circuit or county court fall under the jurisdiction of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, which operates its own court-connected mediation and arbitration programs, separate from privately retained Miami Civil Mediator. 

Parties already in litigation should confirm whether the circuit has referred their case to its own ADR program before scheduling a private session. General background on Florida’s statewide ADR framework is also available through the Florida Courts’ alternative dispute resolution page.

Property owners and businesses across the county can contact Miami Civil Mediator to schedule mediation or arbitration. 

Having the underlying contract on hand, along with a brief description of the dispute, helps the office confirm the right process before the first conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Miami Civil Mediator serve Broward County?
Yes, Miami Civil Mediator provides mediation and arbitration services to parties throughout Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Plantation, and Pembroke Pines. This coverage extends the practice’s broader South Florida work, alongside its ongoing Miami-Dade County mediation and arbitration services.

What types of disputes does Miami Civil Mediator handle in Broward County?
Miami Civil Mediator handles contract, real estate, construction, HOA, and employer-employee disputes for parties in Broward County, the same core categories the practice handles throughout its South Florida work, including cases already filed in court or resolved privately outside litigation.

Is court-ordered arbitration in Broward County different from private arbitration?
Yes. Broward County’s Seventeenth Judicial Circuit operates its own court-connected, non-binding arbitration program under Section 44.103, Florida Statutes. Privately arranged arbitration through Miami Civil Mediator falls under Chapter 682 instead, and whether it produces a binding result depends on the parties’ signed arbitration agreement.

Can I use mediation before filing a lawsuit in Broward County?
Yes. Parties can retain Miami Civil Mediator for mediation before filing a lawsuit in Broward County, rather than waiting for a local court to refer an already-pending case to mediation on its own initiative, which can add months to a case.

Does Miami Civil Mediator offer virtual mediation and arbitration in Broward County?
Yes. Miami Civil Mediator conducts sessions virtually via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx, letting parties throughout Broward County mediate or arbitrate a dispute without an in-person trip to the practice’s Miami office and saving travel time.

What Broward County cities does Miami Civil Mediator serve?
Miami Civil Mediator serves parties in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Plantation, and Pembroke Pines, among other South Florida communities across both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, covering contract, real estate, construction, HOA, and employment disputes for businesses and individuals throughout the region.

Should I choose mediation or arbitration for a Broward County business dispute?
The right choice depends on the contract governing the Broward County dispute, whether the parties want to preserve their business relationship, and how much finality they need. Mediation lets the parties negotiate their own settlement, while arbitration’s binding effect depends on the arbitration agreement itself.

How do I start mediation or arbitration with Miami Civil Mediator in Broward County?
A party in Broward County can contact Miami Civil Mediator directly to schedule mediation or arbitration, in person or virtually, without needing a case already filed in court, and can request either process the same way parties in Miami-Dade County do.

Bottom Line

Joseph P. Farina provides mediation and arbitration services to parties throughout Broward County, covering the same core dispute categories he handles throughout South Florida, with virtual sessions available for those who prefer not to travel to Miami. 

Parties can retain him privately for either process, separate from the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit’s court-connected ADR program, and the right process depends on the governing contract and the outcome each side needs.

A dispute in the county rarely resolves on its own. Parties can contact Miami Civil Mediator to schedule mediation or arbitration with Joseph P. Farina.