Why Mediation?

Although fiery courtroom scenes get more attention, the fact is that most disputes are resolved outside of court, often through mediation. The mediator is an impartial person who helps people communicate as they work on the shared goal of reaching a solution. With the guidance of the mediator, people meet in a neutral setting to talk about what they need in order to sort out their disputes. This arrangement works to empower people and helps to assure that they can find solutions that are acceptable to both of them. The mediator helps to ensure fairness and compliance with the applicable legal principles.

Mediation is very effective -- the majority of cases reach an agreement. It is satisfying because the parties control the outcome. Mediation is cost effective because it avoids the expense of litigation, which often takes on a life of its own, becoming extremely costly. In mediation, the parties work with the mediator to determine the timing and scope of meetings, which is much more flexible than going to court. The mediation is confidential -- what gets said in mediation, stays in mediation.

Helpful Resources

• New ways to approach wholehearted, well-balanced, living can be found here in our blog, Divorce Wellness for Real Life.
• 5 Tips To Stay Positive In Negative Situations is a great, short article that has some good tips.
• How Courts Work, is a brief article by the American Bar Association that discusses the benefits of mediation, especially in ongoing relationships, such as disputes between neighbors or divorcing parents.
• This California courts website provides basic information about resolving disputes outside of court.