Benefits of Mediation to Resolve a Dispute

Mediation is a method used to help parties confronting a dispute reach a mutually acceptable agreement through negotiation. With the goal of being an alternative to a traditional trial process, mediation is often a much less expensive approach to resolving an issue. Litigation has a number of uncertainties surrounding it and the risk of things like appeals looming, many people opt to go in the mediation route when possible. Mediating a case means resolving the conflict prior to going to trial. While this is an obvious benefit, it is important to note that sometimes mediation fails when either party refuses to negotiate, thus leaving the parties feeling frustrated that they did not go straight to trial.

For the vast majority of people, mediation is always the best alternative when possible. Some of the most notable benefits of mediation to resolve a dispute include:

• Directly communicate with the opposing party
• The ability to have a certainty of outcomes
• Settlements are often more reasonable and meet both parties needs to some degree
• Both parties are included in the decision making process
• Save significant money and time
• Circumvent the risk of losing completely, as there is rarely an “all or nothing” decision made
• Resolve the problem quickly, as waiting for trial can take much longer
• Broader resolutions compared to traditional legal remedy
• Maintain privacy of both the proceedings and the results in the dispute
• Show the other party that there is a willingness to cooperative and negotiate
• Helps to maintain a relationship between both parties involved

Mediators have a common goal to resolve the case quickly and effectively, all while avoiding a costly and timely trial process. While every case is different and requires an independent evaluation to decide if mediation is possible, the vast majority of cases prefer the mediation route whenever it is feasible to do so. If you find yourself in a dispute and would like to try alternative avenues to filing a lawsuit, please contact the Law Office of Brenda Murzyn, P.C. for advice on proceeding with mediation.