Mediation

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Finding the middle ground

Can mediation help settle your dispute?

Mediation is a process in which a neutral person – the mediator – helps people involved in a dispute to negotiate effectively with each other. Mediation promotes constructive and creative bargaining tactics and serves to tie down settlement terms in writing. Courtroom litigation can be costly, take a long time. Mediation can help to accomplish negotiations without the emotional and financial stress of litigation – in a fraction of the time.

During mediation, a trained, skilled mediator works to assist the parties involved to reach an amicable solution that allows for both sides to be heard and considered.

Jessica Zupp

Partner, Attorney

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Jessica’s ability to help people find middle ground make her a highly sought mediator.


What happens in mediation?

Participants of a mediation are allowed to take as much time as they need to. The mediation process can be paused for recesses when more information needs to be gathered or exchanged and participants are allowed to take as much time as they need. Your mediator is not there to make a judgment on which party is right or wrong; instead, they guide each side towards consideration of the facts at hand and the options available. Settlements reached via mediation are often better for all involved parties.

What kind of dispute can be handled with mediation?

Almost any type of conflict can be settled using mediation. Virtually all conflicts stem from a person’s perception about what they want or feel. Each party has their own opinions of their rights, needs, and responsibilities. Each person has his or her own ideas and wishes and feels a need to be heard.

In certain disputes, confidentiality and sensitivity is critical. Mediation allows for a more private setting than a courtroom. Open arbitration or litigation may end up creating more hard feelings between the parties in dispute. This creates more stress and increases hostility. Mediation is an ideal alternative for privacy and equanimity in reaching a settlement.

When a neutral mediator is able to closely examine the conflict, they often uncover details that may not have been noticed by the parties in dispute. Information is gathered from both sides and discussed openly. Each of the parties are able to be actively involved in the process and, in the end, most people find that there is almost always more to the story. By using the mediation process, resolution of the dispute feels less personal, and more solution-oriented. This allows the parties to focus on options for resolution instead of worrying about which side is winning. The goal is to guide both sides towards a more balanced and fair result.

Whether the case is a million-dollar divorce or a $2,000.00 property dispute with hurt feelings involved, Jessica can be trusted to cut to the chase and help the parties find a way to settle.

Need a Mediation expert?

Please call our office today if you have questions about the legal services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment to discuss your case with us.