Arbitrators in Berrien County, MI

How does mediation work in Berrien County?

Berrien County alone forms Michigan's second judicial circuit, which state law gives 4 judges [1]. The Berrien County Trial Court keeps two mediator lists of its own, an approved list for civil cases [2] and an approved list for domestic relations matters [3]. For custody and parenting-time disputes in friend of the court cases, Michigan law also requires the office to offer alternative dispute resolution, with domestic relations mediation as one option [4]. Ten of our 11 Berrien mediators, most of them in St. Joseph, come from the court's civil list, one of whom is also on its domestic relations list [2][3]; the other sits on the Western District of Michigan's facilitative mediation panel [5].

1. Michigan Legislature – MCL 600.503 (second judicial circuit)
2. Berrien County Trial Court – Approved Civil Case Mediators List (PDF)
3. Berrien County Trial Court – Approved Domestic Relations Mediator List (PDF)
4. Michigan Legislature – MCL 552.513 (friend of the court alternative dispute resolution)
5. U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan – Voluntary Facilitative Mediation Panel (PDF)

Fact-checked 2026-10-08. Court programs change; confirm with the clerk.