Mediation is an alternative way in which to resolve a conflict. During mediation, the parties involved in the dispute meet with a neutral third party or mediator in order to discuss how the conflict can be resolved. The mediator can either meet with the parties individually or as a group and can make helpful suggestions to resolve the conflict. Some benefits of mediation are:
Financially Helpful–Mediation is usually much less expensive than going to court or using some other costly form of conflict resolution.
Much Quicker Settlements—In the litigation process, it can take up to a year to get a court date, and even longer when you add in the appeals process, mediation offers a much quicker resolution to the conflict. When the parties involved in the conflict want to move on with their lives, mediation offers a more rapid way of getting the conflict resolved.
Outcomes That are Satisfactory to Both Parties—The parties involved in the dispute have the choice to agree or disagree with the outcome and are usually more satisfied with it.
Higher Rate of Sticking to the Outcome—Parties that are more involved in coming up with possible solutions and outcomes to the conflict are more likely to comply with the terms of the compromise or solution to the dispute than parties that have their resolution determined for them.
Custom-Made Agreements—Settlements that are mediated have more leeway in order to address all the issues between the parties, including those that aren’t legal issues. Thus, the parties gain more satisfaction from the outcome because all of their issues are being addressed.
Ability to Preserve Relationships—Because a lot of disputes involve people who have an existing relationship of some kind, mediation is often a better solution than going to trial because it can help to preserve these relationships.
Outcomes Hold Up Over a Longer Period of Time—Because the parties involved in the mediation sessions have more control over the resolution to their conflict, they stick to the terms longer and are more willing to work out compromises in the future.
No Winner/Loser—During mediation, there is no clear winner or loser. The conflict is resolved to let both of the parties involved come to a mutually beneficial decision so that neither party is left feeling that they have lost the case.
After seeing all the benefits of mediation vs. litigation, one may wonder why anyone would go through with a long drawn-out court case. Mediation isn’t the answer for every case. It can help with most cases, but there are some cases in which a court case may be a better avenue to go down. If you are considering mediation, it may be best to discuss all the different options that you have available to you with an attorney before making a final decision. Also, for more information on mediation, you can visit camsmediation.com.
