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Why should I use mediation?
Disputes with others are a fact of everyday life. If the persons involved cannot reach an agreement on how to settle the dispute, the alternatives are:
- Mediation - Mediation differs from both the legal and arbitration methods of dispute resolution. In mediation, a neutral third party helps the persons involved in a dispute to reach their own agreement to settle the issue. Mediation is a low-cost and effective method to resolve disputes quickly and to the satisfaction of the parties involved in a dispute.
- Litigation - The parties can take their issue to court through lawsuit or small claims to have a judge determine settlement. This process can be expensive, takes a significant amount of time and usually results in a winner and a loser.
- Arbitration - Arbitration is a formal process wherein the issue is submitted to a neutral third party, similar to a judge. The parties present their respective cases, and the arbitrator renders a judgment which becomes final and binding upon the parties to the dispute. Arbitration, like the legal process, is expensive and most often takes a significant amount of time. In most cases, each party secures legal counsel to present their case. Like the legal process, arbitration usually results in a winner and a loser.
- What types of issues can be mediated?
Almost any type of dispute can be mediated, if the parties to the dispute desire to settle the issue. Some examples of issues that can be mediated are: (the list is not all-inclusive)
- Construction/contractor disputes
- Landlord/tenant disputes
- Parent/teen relationships
- Divorce
- Credit/delinquency disputes
- Auto accidents
- Auto repair/billing
- Neighbor/property rights
- How do I proceed to mediate an issue?
Click here to go to our finding a mediator page.
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