Mediation is a voluntary process that brings people who have a disagreement together with one or more impartial mediators. Mediators impartially facilitate the communication between the disputing parties with a goal to resolve the conflict.
This is not the same as arbitration (where the disputing parties submit the problem to a third party who makes the decision, and both parties have to abide by it) or litigation (bringing a lawsuit against someone). In both of those processes, one side “wins” and the other side “loses.” The goal of mediation is to help the disputing parties come to an agreement that satisfies everyone.
Following is a partial list of the kinds of conflicts we mediate at CDR:
FAMILY
• Dissolution (Divorce), Parenting Plans (Original or Modifications), Third Party Custody, Elder Care, Parent with Teen
CIVIL
• Personal Injury, Discrimination, Probate, Motor Vehicle Accident, General Liability, Property, Real Property
NEIGHBORHOOD
• Landlord-Tenant, Noise, Nuisance, Animals, Parking, Homeowner Associations, Property Boundaries, Code Violations (referred from Municipal or District Court)
WORKPLACE
• Management, Employees, Co-workers, Departmental, Communication Issues, Roles and Responsibilities, Gossip, Pre-and Post-Grievance
BUSINESS AND CONSUMER
• Commercial, Contracts, Repairs, Leases, Incomplete Work
ORGANIZATIONAL AND GROUP
• Small and Large Group Dynamics, Improving Teamwork, Customer Service, Employer-Employee, Communication Issues, Resolving Unmet Expectations
PUBLIC POLICY
• Community Involvement, Best Practices, Strategic Planning, Communication, Multi-party and Multi-agency