About Mediation

Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties.  Typically, a neutral third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate a settlement.  Parties may mediate disputes in a variety of settings, such as personal injury, medical negligence, commercial, community and family matters.

The term "mediation" broadly refers to any instance in which a neutral third paty helps others reach agreement.  More specifically, mediation has a structure, timetable and dynamics that "ordinary" negotion lacks.  The process is confidential and typically participation is voluntary.   The mediator acts as a neutral third party and facilitates settlement negotiations.

Several of the benefits of mediation are:

• A way for people with disputes to make their own choices and regain a sense of control over the dispute.
• Allows a person who is a party to a lawsuit to more actively participate in the process.
• Provides each party an opportunity to educate the other party, and helps each party make a more realistic assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the case.  This leads to more reasonable and flexible positions.
• The mediation process generally takes much less time and expense than moving a case through standard legal channels.
• In mediation, unlike a lawsuit, there are no winners or losers, but rather parties come away with an agreement to settle their issues.
• While court hearings are public, mediation remains strictly confidential.