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Our normal November-December 2009 renewal season was postponed, but it is now time to renew your neutral registration.  Renewal forms and online renewal are available under "Forms and Applications." Please complete your application online or mail it postmarked by midnight, February 28, 2010 (extended to midnight March 7, 2010), to maintain your current registration and avoid a late fee of double your renewal fee. Registration is now once a year, instead of once every two years.

 

We encourage you to renew online.  You can log in, fill out your renewal form, pay your fee by check or with a credit card through PayPal, and submit your renewal application – all online.  We can process your renewal more quickly if you renew online.

 

Also, continuing education requirements for renewing neutrals have been changed to accommodate the new annual renewal cycle.  Beginning with the next renewal cycle at the end of 2010, all neutrals must submit 3 hours of CE to renew each year.  No excess CE hours may be carried over from one renewal cycle to the next.

 

 

 

To renew online, click on “Login To Your Neutral Account” at the top of the web page. The login page will appear in a new browser window. Enter your login ID and password. Select “Renew Registration” in the menu. Follow the prompts and instructions carefully.

 

Near the end of the process, you will asked to pay your renewal fee by check or online using a credit card via PayPal. You do not need to create a PayPal account to pay your fee online.

 

The renewal fee is now annual at $125 for neutrals not registered in domestic relations mediation, and $150 for those who are registered in domestic relations mediation.  The renewal fee doubles after the deadline.

 

If you are a volunteer – that is, you receive no compensation, no matter how small, providing ADR services within or outside a court program – you and your program director can submit a sworn affidavit with your renewal application to have your fee waived for each renewal season.  Volunteer affidavits can be downloaded under "Form and Applications."

 

This year, all neutrals – whether renewing online or on paper – must fill out and mail in the GBI-mandated signature form.  A personalized signature form was mailed out last week with renewal reminder letters. A blank signature form was attached to renewal reminders e-mailed last week. A blank form can also be downloaded  under "Form and Applications." Please fill out the form and mail it to the address on the form. Your renewal application cannot be processed without this signed form.

 

 

To renew on paper, download a renewal application under "Form and Applications." Fill out the form, sign the GBI-mandated signature page at the end, attach a check for your renewal fee, and mail it to the address on the form.

 

The renewal fee is now annual at $125 for neutrals not registered in domestic relations mediation, and $150 for those who are registered in domestic relations mediation.  The renewal fee doubles for late renewal applications.

 

If you are a volunteer – that is, you receive no compensation, no matter how small, providing ADR services within or outside a court program – you and your program director can submit a sworn affidavit with your renewal application to have your fee waived for each renewal season.  Volunteer affidavits can be downloaded under "Form and Applications."

 

 

All registered neutrals are required to renew this season. Your reporting requirements for continuing education differ depending on whether you were originally scheduled to renew this season or next season:

 

If Your Original Renewal Date was 12/31/2009: You are renewing at your scheduled time.  Please report your continuing education hours on your renewal form.  If this is your first renewal, report 3 CE hours.  Otherwise, please report 6 CE hours.  The CE you claim should relate to your practice as a neutral.   Keep documentation of your CE attendance; please do not send it to us unless we request it.  For more information, see the “Help!  I Need CE!!” link under "What's New!"

 

If Your Original Renewal Date was 12/31/2010: You did not expect to renew for another year.  But since renewal is annual now, we are transitioning you to a yearly schedule.  Simply fill out a renewal form and pay the appropriate fee.  You do not need to submit any continuing education for this renewal cycle; because the CE requirements have been changed, please submit just 3 hours of CE during the next renewal season at the end of 2010.

 

 

To learn how the Commission on Dispute Resolution decided on the new renewal structure and fees, please read the minutes from the November 12, 2009, Commission meeting under "About the Commission." You will benefit from this new funding plan: GODR will be freed from the annual uncertainties of legislative funding, allowing us to commit to long-term projects to improve the ADR system.  A new ADR Program Liaison Committee will help GODR run more efficiently, enhance communications with the ADR system’s constituents such as yourself, and create new value-added programs for neutrals, courts and trainers.

 

Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 404-463-3788 if you have further questions about renewal season.