Mediate Michigan

There is an alternative to going to court when individuals or businesses are in conflict.

Mediation can be not only less expensive and divisive than traditional lawsuits, but also carry the weight of a court ruling.

Two attorneys in Sitka are among the many statewide who are involved in mediation. They met with the Sitka Bar Association and local service providers this week (6-23-10).

Attorney Christine Pate says mediators are not judges.

“If two or more people have a dispute, they may be thinking about taking it to court. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution. You may have one or two mediators assisting the parties to facilitate an agreement. I think the term is that the ‘mediator owns the process, and the participants own the content.’ So the mediator doesn’t really make decisions for the parties, they just help them reach an agreement.”

via KCAW – Public Radio in Sitka, Alaska – Local News.