Mediation is Not Just for Legal Issues

Author: Christina De Palma | | Categories: conflict resolution , discussion facilitator , mediation , mediator , non-legal mediation , Qualified Mediator

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Mediation is the process of trying to solve disagreements between two parties without having to go to court. Mediation is a form of negotiation that is chaired by a neutral person, called the mediator. The mediator has no personal interest in the outcome of the mediation and is present by the agreement of all the parties.

 

But did you know that mediation doesn’t have to be used just for legal issues involving the courts? In fact, a mediator can also be used to help facilitate tough conversations that parties may not be able to have on their own. If we think of a mediator as a discussion facilitator, the options for using mediation broaden widely.

 

Mediators specialize in solving problems and guiding parties through a dispute to reach a favourable outcome. Mediators do not judge between right and wrong, nor do they provide legal advice. The parties involved still control the outcome of the proceedings and no settlement is reached without mutual approval. 

 

Here is a great example of a situation where a mediator can be used. A tree that is on both yours and your neighbour’s property has fallen down and neither of you can agree upon who is responsible for its removal. While you might be able to agree on certain aspects of the removal, some details may be harder to work through. To avoid going to court over the issue, this is when mediation can help by having a neutral third party to further the discussion in a guided process.  

 

Here are some other examples of when mediation could be used:
 

  • Family members who need to talk through past issues that are affecting their ability to move forward in a positive way

  • Discussions between business partners when tough decisions have to be made for the business

  • Conversations between neighbours about their property concerns

  • Discussions between friends about issues in their friendship

 

At De Palma & Associate we offer mediation services for many different types of disputes. With offices located in Barrie and Wasaga Beach, De Palma & Associate also provides legal representation for Small Claims Court cases, landlord and tenant disputes, traffic tickets, United States entry waivers, criminal pardons (record suspensions), notary services and document commissioning throughout the Georgian Bay area and the GTA. If you have any questions or require mediation or legal representation, give us a call at De Palma & Associate at 705-429-2401.

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