Category Archives: Uncategorized
Peggy R. Hoyt
August 1, 2013
What The End Of DOMA Means (And Doesn’t Mean) For Divorcing Same-Sex Couples – In a widely celebrated decision, the U.S. Supreme Court last month struck down a key provision of the “Defense of Marriage” Act (DOMA).
Eminent Domain: Laws and Loopholes that Benefit Fracking and Pipeline Companies – The rapid expansion of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking — a process that the oil and gas industry uses to extract natural gas and oil from shale rock formations buried deep within the Earth — has caused environmental and public health problems, and weak eminent domain laws and laws that cater to fracking and pipeline companies will only help spread these problems.
Brian Michael Goodwin
Gilmer Mike Heitman P.E., J.D.
Jennifer Safian
Two Reasons Why Mediation is The Best Way to Resolve Family Disputes
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / freedigitalphotos.net
Mediation’s success rate in resolving family disputes speaks for itself. But when it’s YOUR family facing a crisis that has significant financial and personal repercussions, how do you know that mediation is the right choice for you and yours? Let’s look at some of the top reasons why many families choose mediation to settle family, adoption, child custody, and estate planning or divorce disputes.
- Mediation is peaceful.
Mediation involves sitting down together in the same room, at the same table, and calmly discussing the issue at hand. A mediator is trained in the art of facilitating this conversation to ensure that everyone has a voice and that each person’s voice is heard. A mediator is also trained in the art of guiding the discussion toward productive discourse if things get off track, or if the disputants allow emotions to get in the way and the session devolves to unfounded accusations and name-calling.
In this sense, a mediator is a peace-maker. He or she has studied extensively the most productive ways communication can occur and can guide the disputants down a path of peaceful and respectful resolution of their conflict. Later on, after the dispute has been settled, this peaceful exchange will create a foundation on which the family members or former spouses can maintain a solid relationship built on trust. Especially if they are going to be co-parenting despite a divorce, this relationship is vital to the successful future of the children involved.
- Mediation is empowering.
In litigation or arbitration, a third party will be ultimately making a decision for you regarding the outcome of your conflict. However, in mediation, the decision-making power is given to the parties in dispute. This means that you and your family members will be in control of the outcome of the mediation session—and only you. The mediator will neutrally guide you toward a resolution but mediation is non-binding in that if you are still unhappy with the result of the mediation session, you have the choice to end it and move on to litigation.