What is Mediation?

It is a confidential process in which people who are involved in a dispute voluntarily meet with an impartial Mediator.  The Mediator, a neutral third party, will assist the parties to work towards their own resolution of the conflict. Unlike an attorney or arbitrator, a Mediator does not advise or direct the outcome of the resolution. She acts, instead, as a facilitator of the process as the parties work through their differences.

How Does Mediation Work?

After the place and date of the Mediation have been set, both parties meet with the impartial Mediator. In the beginning, the Mediator establishes a safe setting which allows each party to openly express his/her view of the disagreement. The Mediator then guides the discussion and helps those involved to arrive at a mutual agreement. When, and if, all of the participants are satisfied, the Mediator writes an agreement using the terms and language as determined by the parties. All present sign the agreement and a copy is given to each party.

When to Mediate?

• You want to save time & money
• If you have tried without success to talk to the other person(s)
• The law cannot provide the remedy you want
• You want to end a problem, not a relationship
• You realize filing a lawsuit does not always bring the desired result
• Your dispute is no one else's business
• You want to settle your case quickly and realize that civil cases can take months (or years) to come to trial.

Important Things to Know about Mediation

• The Mediator will prevent either party from being intimidated or manipulated
• This process provides the opportunity for the conflict to be aired; the conflict to be clarified for both parties; and for the options for resolution to be brainstormed
• If parties take the law into their own hands, everyone loses.
• If the problem is left unsolved, both parties suffer from frustration, anger and hatred
• If Mediation is used as soon as the conflict occurs, then it serves as a preventive measure to possible violence.
• Seventy-nine percent of the time, a resolution is reached allowing the parties to resume their relationship
• Since Mediation is based on peace-making, morale in an office setting, as an example, can be positively affected.