Apopka Mediation and Parenting Coordination, Online
Parents in Apopka can work with Jessica Oliver, LCSW, without leaving home. She mediates divorce and parenting plan disputes and serves as a parenting coordinator for Orange County families, and every session runs on Zoom.
Who you would be working with
Jessica holds Florida Supreme Court certification as a family mediator (44460 CF) and is a licensed clinical social worker in Florida (SW18101). She is also a Qualified Parenting Coordinator. Her primary office is in Dade City, and she meets in person only in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Sumter Counties. For Apopka parents that means Zoom, and no commute.
What mediation with Jessica looks like
Jessica stays neutral. She does not choose a side, rule on who is right or tell you what a court would order. Her job is to help two parents talk through the decisions in front of them and, if they can, put an agreement in writing. She is not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. More than 10 years in social work shape how she runs the room, and the about page has her full background.
Running a session on Zoom
Any device with a camera works, as long as you can talk privately. Parents who would rather not share a screen can be placed in separate breakout rooms, and Jessica goes back and forth between them. The virtual family mediation page covers the setup. A typical case moves like this:
An intake call with each parent, covering the issues, safety concerns and whether Zoom suits the situation.
Gathering paperwork, usually pay records, debts and accounts, and the children’s routine.
One or more Zoom sessions to work through the open questions.
A written summary of what was agreed, ready for each parent’s attorney and for the court.
Apopka sits in Orange County and the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Anyone filing a family case without a lawyer can ask the Orange County Clerk’s Self Help Center, which is at the downtown courthouse. For a case that is already filed, your court order or a written agreement between the parties decides whether mediation can take place remotely. Your attorney can tell you. Jessica can’t.
Topics Apopka parents bring to mediation
In mediation, parents decide the terms together rather than waiting for a judge to decide for them. The usual subjects are:
The parenting plan, the time-sharing calendar, holidays and school breaks
Child support and the split of extras like childcare and activities
The house, retirement accounts, cars and debts
Updates to a parenting plan or support order that no longer fits
Paternity cases and the schedule that comes next
There is more on the mediation services page. No one can promise how a mediation will turn out, and Jessica doesn’t try. The agreement belongs to the parents.
When a judge has appointed a parenting coordinator
Once a parenting plan is in place, a court may appoint a parenting coordinator to help the parents carry it out. The coordinator steps in on the everyday friction, such as exchanges, school decisions and how the parents communicate, so each disagreement does not turn into another hearing. Jessica takes these appointments for Orange County families. The parenting coordination page explains how the work goes.
Fees
Each service has its own rate, and the first 30-minute consultation costs nothing.
Mediation
$250 per hour.
Two-hour minimum per booking.
Parenting coordination
$250 per hour.
Billed in 6-minute increments.
Retainer set case by case.
Apopka questions and answers
Can Apopka parents meet with Jessica in person?
No. Orange County families meet with Jessica on Zoom. She sees clients in person at her Dade City office only, and only those who live in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, or Sumter Counties.
What does a divorce mediator do?
A divorce mediator is a neutral third party. Jessica does not take sides or make decisions for you. She helps both parents talk through the issues and try to reach their own agreement. Mediation is not therapy and is separate from her clinical social work. Results differ from family to family.
Do we need a lawyer?
Jessica is not an attorney and does not give legal advice. Many of her clients have lawyers, and either parent can talk to one at any point in the process.
Can we do divorce mediation over Zoom in Florida?
Yes. Jessica mediates by Zoom for families anywhere in Florida. If you have a pending case, check your court order or ask your attorney whether it says anything about how mediation must be held.
What does it cost to mediate?
Mediation with Jessica is $250 per hour, with a two-hour minimum per booking. The first 30-minute consultation is free. Parenting coordination is billed separately at $250 per hour in 6-minute increments, with a retainer set case by case.
Can Jessica mediate our case and then serve as our parenting coordinator?
Generally not. Jessica doesn’t serve one family in both roles. If she mediated your parenting plan, she can talk through other options for a coordinator.
Does Jessica work with military families?
Yes, by Zoom. A parent who is deployed, stationed out of state or about to relocate can still take part, and sessions can be set across time zones. For how military rules apply to you, ask your attorney or a military legal assistance office if you qualify.
How do we book?
Pick a time on the online scheduler, call (813) 449-2500 or email jessica@calminchaos.net. The first 30-minute consultation is free.
Next step
To talk it through, schedule a consultation. Jessica is available weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM, and weekend sessions are by appointment. Other areas she serves are on the locations page, including nearby Winter Park, Orlando and Lake County. If you are in a collaborative divorce, the collaborative divorce page explains Jessica’s role.
This page is general information. Reading it does not create a professional relationship with Jessica, and it is not advice about your situation.