Circuit Civil Mediator & Trained Arbitrator — Jacksonville, Florida
Penny W. Schmidt is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator and Trained Arbitrator serving Jacksonville and all of Florida. With over 30 years of civil trial litigation experience and nearly 20 years as a certified mediator, Schmidt resolves personal injury, business, landlord-tenant, and construction disputes faster and at a fraction of the cost of continued litigation for every party in the room.
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
Trained Arbitrator
Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated Since 1997
National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator & Trained Arbitrator
Jax Mediation Center — a comfortable, confidential setting for mediation in Jacksonville, Florida.
After three decades in the courtroom, Penny understands exactly what drives parties apart — and what it takes to bring them back to the table. She prepares thoroughly for every session, reads the room with the instincts of a seasoned trial attorney, and moves parties toward resolution with a combination of candor, patience, and creative problem-solving that is rare in any mediator.
Her mediation style is firm and direct, but engaged and creative. Evening sessions are available on request.
Florida Bar — Admitted 1992
Certified Mediator Since 2003
U.S. District Court, M.D. Fla.
U.S. District Court, N.D. Fla.
Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
Florida Academy of Professional Mediators
Mediation Services
Schmidt resolves civil disputes across four practice areas in Jacksonville and throughout Florida — from first-time mediation referrals to complex, multi-party cases that courts have ordered to mediation.
Auto accidents, premises liability, trucking, nursing homes, and wrongful death claims. Florida courts require personal injury mediation in most circuit civil cases before trial under Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.700 (2024).
Breach of contract, partnership conflicts, commercial lease, debt collections, and employment matters. Parties across Jacksonville, Duval County, and statewide Florida resolve business disputes without the cost of circuit court litigation.
Lease conflicts, security deposit claims, eviction-related disputes, and HOA enforcement disagreements. Landlord-tenant and HOA mediation resolves these claims privately, with no public court record.
Contractor payment disputes, delay claims, subcontractor conflicts, and construction defect cases. Florida Chapter 558 (2024) pre-suit notice requirements make construction dispute mediation the practical first step.
Schmidt is a Florida Bar attorney admitted in 1992 and a graduate of the University of Florida and St. Thomas College of Law (Honors). She became a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator in 2003. After over 30 years as a civil trial litigator, including a long-term partnership at Schutt, Schmidt & Noey in Jacksonville, Penny is now a full-time mediator. Schmidt is a Florida Bar attorney admitted in 1992 and a graduate of the University of Florida and St. Thomas College of Law (Honors). She became a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator in 2003. After over 30 years as a civil trial litigator, including a long-term partnership at Schutt, Schmidt & Noey in Jacksonville, Penny is now a full-time mediator.
She also holds certification as a Circuit Court Civil Mediator and is authorized to mediate cases in Florida State Courts and for the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida. Schmidt is Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated since 1997 and is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators, and the Florida Circuit-Civil Mediators Society.
Her mediation style is firm and direct, but engaged and creative. Evening sessions are available on request.
Florida civil cases escalate in cost every month without resolution. To view Ms. Schmidt's calendar and schedule mediations, please go to: floridamediators.org/penny-schmidt, or call (904) 224-7044.
30+
Years Civil Trial Litigation Experience
20+
Years as Certified Mediator
2003
FL Supreme Court Certified
AV
Martindale-Hubbell Rated Since 1997
Florida civil cases escalate in cost every month without resolution. To view Ms. Schmidt's calendar and schedule mediations, please go to: floridamediators.org/penny-schmidt, or call (904) 224-7044.
Common Questions
A Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator has completed state-mandated training, met certification requirements, and adheres to ethical rules enforced by the Florida Supreme Court under Fla. R. Med. 10.100 (2024). Non-certified mediators face no equivalent oversight. Circuit civil cases involving disputes over $15,000 require a private certified mediator.
Yes. Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.700 (2024) requires mediation in most circuit civil cases before trial proceeds. Courts in Duval County routinely order mediation as a condition of the civil case scheduling order. Engaging a certified mediator early — before attorney fees and court costs accumulate — serves a legal and financial purpose for every party.
Florida law does not require an attorney at mediation, but having one protects negotiation rights and ensures the settlement agreement is enforceable as written. The mediator cannot give legal advice to either side. Parties without counsel often lack the context to evaluate whether a proposed settlement serves their interest.
In private mediation, fees are typically split equally between parties unless they agree otherwise. The per hour charge for Florida private mediators varies greatly, depending on experience and case complexity.
If mediation does not produce a settlement, the case returns to the litigation track and can proceed to trial. Everything discussed in session remains confidential under Florida's Mediation Confidentiality and Privilege Act, Chapter 44 (2024) — nothing said in mediation can be used as evidence at trial.
If mediation does not produce a settlement, the case returns to the litigation track and can proceed to trial. Everything discussed in session remains confidential under Florida's Mediation Confidentiality and Privilege Act, Chapter 44 (2024) — nothing said in mediation can be used as evidence at trial.
Yes. Pre-suit mediation resolves disputes before litigation begins, eliminating filing fees, discovery costs, and months of case management. Pre-suit mediation carries the same confidentiality protections under Florida Chapter 44 (2024) and produces the same legally binding settlement agreement as court-ordered mediation.
Yes. A mediated settlement agreement signed by all parties is a binding contract enforceable in Florida circuit court under Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.730 (2024). If one party fails to comply, the other may file a motion to enforce. Unlike a jury verdict, the agreement reflects terms both sides accepted — not an outcome imposed by the court.
Penny is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator and Trained Arbitrator with nearly 20 years of mediation experience and over 30 years in civil trial litigation.
Copyright © 2025 Penny Schmidt. All rights reserved.
