Whether you are the person bringing a lawsuit or are being sued by someone else you make think that the only way to resolve the issue is by a trial in court. However, mediation is one alternative to a trial that might be better for the resolution of your dispute. Mediation has several benefits one of which is generating a more predictable and controllable result for the parties in the dispute. Judges and juries can often times deliver decisions and rulings that are unexpected and usually one-sided; mediation on the other hand allows the two parties to negotiate together to reach a result that they mutually agree upon and provides some benefit to each party. While neither party may receive everything they want in mediation, there is often a better chance they will achieve part of their desired result than if the case were to go all the way to trial.
Mediation has other benefits over trail resolution as well, including the ability to resolve the case more quickly and as a result with less financial investment. Resolving a dispute by trial can many times take months or even years and once the decision is handed down there is no guarantee the case will end there if a party decides to appeal the decision. Mediation on the other hand can begin much sooner after a suit is begun than a trial can and the result is not appealable. This not only allows parties to have resolution and closure much sooner but also requires less time spent working with an attorney which reduces the amount you have to spend to resolve your dispute.
Another of the many benefits to mediation is the flexibility that it offers parties in gathering to mediate. While court hearings and trial dates are dictated by court schedules, mediation can be held at anytime the parties and the mediator decide upon. Not only are trial dates set by judges and are many times non-negotiable, they are usually during business hours during the week, making it inconvenient for busy individuals to attend and participate in the hearings and trials. Mediation sessions on the other hand can be scheduled at times that are more convenient for the parties and provide the least amount of disruption to your life. Furthermore, parties can decide on a location for the mediation that is much more convenient to them than the courthouse, providing another way that mediation is more flexible than a trial.
While mediation may not be best for every client or every dispute, it can in many situations, provide a shorter, more flexible, and cost-efficient way to resolve disputes that allows both parties to achieve some of their goals without leaving the resolution of the case entirely in the hands of a judge or jury.
King Law offers affordable mediation services for both family law and Superior Court matters. Attorneys Brian W. King and John B. Crotts have been certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as Certified Family Financial and Superior Court Mediators for several years now and have been practicing family law and civil litigation for their entire careers as attorneys. Call King Law at 888-748-KING to schedule your consultation.