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1. What is mediation?

Mediation is a way for people to work out their problems and arrive at mutually acceptable agreements with the help of trained, impartial mediators who facilitate productive communication between disputing parties. It is a voluntary settlement process which allows you to control the decisions that affect your family, business, finances, and life rather than having an outcome imposed upon you by a third party. Mediation focuses on the future rather than on the past, to identify what will resolve the dispute now.

2. What kinds of issues can mediation help with?

Mediation can help with:

• Annoyance Complaints
• Business Disputes
• Commercial Consumer
• Contractor Disputes
• Family Disputes
• Government Relations
• Landlord/Tenant
• Money
• Neighbor/Neighbor Disputes
• Noise
• Organizational Conflicts
• Parking
• Pets
• Property Damage
• Property Use
• Roommate Problems
• School/Community
• Workplace Problems

3. How does the mediation process work?

The mediation process includes the following steps:

1. You contact Placer Dispute Resolution Service and explain the problem. We'll ask questions, and answer your questions.
2. With your approval, we then contact the other person and explain mediation and its benefits. Before you talk with the other party in mediation, you both talk with the case developer to help identify the issues at the root of the conflict.
3. If both of you agree to meet, we schedule a mutually agreeable time and location for the mediation session.
4. The mediators help focus on the best options for resolving the disputes. You and the other party must mutually agree on a resolution.
5. Final agreements may be oral or written. The agreement represents a commitment to resolve the problem.

4. How does a successful mediation help?

Successful mediation can help the parties:

• Arrive at resolution of the problem
• Define issues and concerns
• Clarify viewpoints, interests and positions
• Generate options and alternatives for resolving the dispute
• Improve communication
• Reduce time, cost, and stress associated with resolving disputes

If you have a case before the courts, your written agreement can be entered into the record of the court, if you wish.

5. What are the benefits of mediation?

While the primary goal of mediation is to resolve differences, mediation also:

• Costs less than litigation
• Is quicker than litigation
• Is less formal than litigation
• Is confidential avoiding public disclosure of personal problems
• Allows you to control decisions that affect your life
• Promotes communication and cooperation
• Reduces conflict and helps keep relationships intact

6. Who can mediate?

Anyone with a desire to settle disputes reasonably and at less cost can reach agreement in mediation. Mediation is effective even when conflict or anger is high and communication has broken down.