Rule 12.060.Qualification as an Approved General Civil Mediator, Ongoing Obligations

Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026

In one sentenceUTCR 12.060 lists what an applicant must show a determining authority to become an approved general civil mediator — training, observed and supervised case experience, continuing education, adherence to the ethics rule, and public information — and defines the supervisor tier above it.

Full Text of Rule 12.060

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To become an approved general civil mediator, an individual must establish, to the satisfaction of the determining authority, that the individual meets or exceeds all the following qualifications and will continue to meet ongoing requirements as described:

(1) Training. An applicant must have completed training, including all the following:

(a) The basic mediation curriculum described in UTCR 12.100, or substantially similar training; and

(b) Court-system training in UTCR 12.130, or substantially similar training or education.

(2) Experience. An applicant must have:

(a) Observed three actual mediations; and

(b) Participated as a mediator or co-mediator in at least three cases that have been or will be filed in court, observed by a person qualified as a general civil mediation supervisor under this section and performed to the supervisor’s satisfaction.

(3) Continuing Education

(a) During the first two calendar years beginning January 1 of the year after the mediator’s approval by the determining authority, general civil mediators must complete at least 12 hours of continuing education as follows:

(i) If the approved mediator’s basic mediation training was 36 hours or more, 12 hours of continuing education as described in UTCR 12.140.

(ii) If the approved mediator’s basic mediation training was between 30 and 36 hours, then one additional hour of continuing education for every hour of training fewer than 36 (i.e., if basic mediation training was 30 hours, then 18 hours of continuing education; if the basic mediation training was 32 hours, then 16 hours of continuing education).

(b) Thereafter, as an ongoing obligation, an approved general civil mediator must complete 12 hours of continuing education requirements every two calendar years as described in UTCR 12.140.

(4) Conduct. An applicant and, as an ongoing obligation, an approved general civil mediator must subscribe to the mediator ethics in UTCR 12.040.

(5) Public information. An applicant and, as an ongoing obligation, an approved general civil mediator must comply with requirements to provide and maintain information as provided in UTCR 12.050.

(6) Supervision. A qualified general civil mediation supervisor is an individual who has:

(a) Met the qualifications of a general civil mediator as defined in this section; and

(b) Mediated at least 35 cases to conclusion or completed at least 350 hours of mediation experience beyond the experience required of an approved general civil mediator in this section.

End

Plain-English Summary

An applicant for approval as a general civil mediator must establish, to the satisfaction of the determining authority, that every requirement in UTCR 12.060 is met or exceeded, and must keep meeting the ongoing ones. Training comes first: the basic mediation curriculum described in UTCR 12.100, or substantially similar training, plus court-system training in UTCR 12.130, or substantially similar training or education.

Then experience. The applicant must have observed three actual mediations, and must have participated as a mediator or co-mediator in at least three cases that have been or will be filed in court. Those cases have to be observed by a person qualified as a general civil mediation supervisor under this rule, and performed to that supervisor's satisfaction.

Continuing education begins on January 1 of the year after the determining authority approves the mediator. During the first two calendar years, a general civil mediator completes at least 12 hours. If the basic mediation training ran 36 hours or more, 12 hours is the figure. If it ran between 30 and 36 hours, the mediator adds one hour of continuing education for every hour of training short of 36 — the rule's own examples are 30 hours of training calling for 18 hours of continuing education, and 32 hours calling for 16. After that opening stretch, the ongoing obligation is 12 hours of continuing education every two calendar years as described in UTCR 12.140.

Some duties never end. An approved general civil mediator must subscribe to the mediator ethics in UTCR 12.040 and must keep current the public information required by UTCR 12.050. The rule also defines the supervisor who signs off on other applicants' cases: a qualified general civil mediation supervisor has met the general civil mediator qualifications and has mediated at least 35 cases to conclusion or completed at least 350 hours of mediation experience beyond what an approved general civil mediator needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I become an approved general civil mediator in Oregon?

Satisfy the determining authority on each item in UTCR 12.060: the basic mediation curriculum in UTCR 12.100 or substantially similar training, court-system training in UTCR 12.130 or substantially similar training or education, the observation and supervised case experience, the continuing education schedule, the mediator ethics in UTCR 12.040, and the public information requirements in UTCR 12.050.

How many mediations do I have to observe or handle before approval?

You must have observed three actual mediations and have participated as a mediator or co-mediator in at least three cases that have been or will be filed in court, with those cases observed by a qualified general civil mediation supervisor and performed to that supervisor's satisfaction.

My basic mediation training was only 30 hours. Does that cost me anything?

Yes, in continuing education. The rule adds one hour of continuing education for every hour of basic training fewer than 36. Its own illustration is that 30 hours of basic training means 18 hours of continuing education in the first stretch, and 32 hours means 16.

How much continuing education do I owe after the first two calendar years?

12 hours every two calendar years, as described in UTCR 12.140. That rule sets what those hours must contain, including minimums on confidentiality and mediator ethics, and how the credit gets reported.

What does it take to become a general civil mediation supervisor?

Meet the general civil mediator qualifications in this rule, and then either mediate at least 35 cases to conclusion or complete at least 350 hours of mediation experience beyond what an approved general civil mediator is required to have.

Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the official Oregon Uniform Trial Court Rules (UTCR 12.060). Prescribed by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court (UTCR 1.020). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified September 12, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: approved general civil mediator OregonUTCR 12.060general civil mediator qualificationsmediator continuing education hours Oregongeneral civil mediation supervisorbasic mediation training 30 hours