What     

What is Mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process for resolving conflict with the help of a neutral trained professional. The mediator assists parties in building their own solutions to a dispute, which address the interests of all parties involved. Participating in mediation gives the parties an opportunity for a win-win agreement. Mediation is a proven low cost way to resolve conflict.

Is it Successful?
On average, parties that use the WDRC experience an 85% success rate in creating mutually acceptable settlements. Further, the majority of parties that don't come to agreement still indicate a high level of satisfaction with their experience.

How is a Mediation Set-up?
When you have a conflict and could use help in coming to an agreement, simply give us a call. At this time you can speak directly and confidentially to our case manager, ask questions and get information about what to expect. If you wish, we will contact the other party, and assess their willingness to participate in a mediation session. With their consent, we will move forward to convene a session. Convening a session involves identifying a mutually agreed upon time, and identifying one or more of our mediators to work with your case.

We typically convene mediations within just a few weeks of initial contact from clients.

What Disputes Can We Mediate? 

• Family
• Neighborhood / Community Justice
• Divorce / Property Settlement
• Parenting Plans / Post Decree Modification
• Commercial Claims
• Intercultural
• End of Life Issues
• Youth
• Small Claims Court Issues
• Non-Marital Separation Issues
• Anti-Harassment
• Co-worker
• ...and many other issues as well

What Type of Mediation Does the Dispute Resolution Center Use?

The Dispute Resolution Center practices Interest-Based Mediation. This approach means that the mediators will assist parties in identifying all relevant issues and interests, and will work diligently to ensure that the process is equitable and satisfying. Agreements reached using this model are often durable and long lasting as the needs that all parties have in relation to the dispute are addressed as thoroughly as possible.

In addition, there are three primary mediation styles: facilitative, transformative, and evaluative. Facilitative  and Transformative mediators typically have parties meet in the same room together, unless they specifically request separate rooms. Facilitative mediators' primary intention is to help the disputing parties communicate effectively with one another and encourage the parties to develop their own resolutions. Transformative mediators pay particular attention to the relationship of the parties, and create opportunities for parties to change the way in which they interact with one another. Evaluative mediators almost never have parties meet together in the same room, and typically are more directive as they assist parties in negotiating. Evaluative mediators will often make recommendations to the parties about their agreements, and assess how those agreements might be perceived in a court of law (these assessments can impact the sense of neutrality).

Although each mediator has his/her own personality and uses many different techniques in any given mediation session, all of our mediators predominately practice the facilitative approach. The Dispute Resolution Center strongly believes, and research has shown, that the most durable and satisfactory agreements are ones that parties have collaboratively created themselves.

Our Fees

As we are a nonprofit, community mediation center, all of our mediation fees are based upon a sliding scale. We never turn anyone away for an inability to pay.