Ad Hoc Court Ordered Foreclosure Mediation Programs Beginning To Take Hold In Florida?

In Seminole County Florida, the Orlando Sentinel reports:

• [18th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Clayton D.] Simmons signed an order earlier this summer ordering mediation in foreclosures of owner-occupied residences. "It is forcing, hopefully, some communication that wasn't going on in the past. That was our whole purpose," Simmons said. "If they don't communicate, there's no way of working it out."

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• Judges can order mediation in any case, but there is no uniform approach being taken by Florida's chief judges to handle the influx in foreclosure filings, said Fort Lauderdale attorney Adele Stone. "Seminole [County] was one of the forerunners in this," she said.

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• Officials in the Ninth Circuit, which includes Orange and Osceola counties, are not considering any similar action. And though officials in the Fifth Circuit, which includes Lake County, have been considering something similar, they have not implemented such. In the Seventh Circuit, which includes Volusia and Flagler counties, Circuit Judge Raul A. Zambrano said he orders lenders into mediation with homeowners in all cases in which a borrower appears in court.

For more, see Judge: Foreclosure mediation can satisfy homeowners and lenders.

Go her for 18th Judicial Circuit Foreclosure Mediation Administrative Order.