Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

  “Mediation is a structured, interactive process where an impartial third party assists disputing parties in resolving conflict through the use of specialized communication and negotiation techniques.“ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediation . Mediation is a type of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) conducted to resolve pending Court actions. Georgia has an Office of Dispute Resolution specifically appointed to oversee ADR programs. “The mission of the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution is to help the Georgia Supreme Court fulfill its Constitutional mandate to ‘provide for the speedy, efficient, and inexpensive resolution of disputes and prosecutions’ in the judiciary.” https://godr.org/about-us/ . All types of people seek mediation for a wide variety of issues, in fact, some courts order mediation before a case is allowed to move forward with a final hearing. During mediation, both parties agree to attempt to work out their pending issues with a trained neutral ...

Mediation was all over the news this week in Georgia. It was reported that, "The first mediation session in the sexual misconduct lawsuits against Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church has ended." AJC 3/4/11. But what is medation? Mediation is an alternate way to resolve disputes without litigation. All types of people seek mediation for a wide variety of issues, in fact, some courts order mediation before a case will be heard. During a mediation, both parties agree to sit across the table from each other and work out their problem with a trained neutral mediator. Many people find that mediation is very satisfying, results in faster resolution, and is less costly then litigation. Additionally, mediation can be confidential, which means that the details of your mediation are not in the public record like most court cases. However, unlike litigation, a resolution is not guaranteed. Mediation resolution depends on both party's willingness to reach a...