April 21, 2017

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8 Common Predictors Of Divorce And What They Mean For Your Relationship – Divorce rates in the United States have been cause for concern since the ’80s, despite finally being on the decline. The puzzlingly high percentage of marriages that end in divorce, however, have pushed experts to study the causes of this phenomenon.

10 states where foreclosure woes linger – The residential foreclosure rate has been below pre-recession levels since late 2016 and continues to fall, according to a new report from ATTOM Data Solutions. In fact, the real estate information company’s latest quarterly and monthly analysis of foreclosure data found that foreclosure activity in the first quarter of 2017 was at its lowest level in nearly 11 years nationwide, as well as in 102 of the 216 metropolitan areas analyzed.

Prepare for the Digital Health Revolution – The business of medicine is inefficient, expensive, and ripe for disruption. Here are 21 companies that are using technology to reinvent it—and to change our lives in the process.

Human Rights Mediation 101

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Mediation is an effective process that informally resolves cases that may result in litigation. This includes settling cases related to human rights violations including committing or permitting discrimination. An impartial third party helps the party resolves their dispute by leading the parties in conflict resolution tactics.

A mediator helps bridge communication between the parties and can explain the ground rules of civility and demonstrating mutual respect throughout the entire process. Rather than cementing their positions and engaging in arguments, the parties are encouraged to truly consider the other party’s position. This approach helps avoid the possibility of parties becoming entrenched in the dispute and failing to make progress throughout the process.

The parties who are involved in the dispute may or may not be represented by legal counsel. If the party has a lawyer, the lawyer’s role is much different than the mediator’s role. The mediator represents neither party while the lawyer represents his or her own client’s interests. Additionally, the lawyer may explain the potential consequences – good or bad – of accepting a particular settlement offer. The mediator may have a background in human rights law, civil rights or social work that he or she can use to develop a better understanding of the issues involved in the case. The participants can choose the mediator that they want to assist them with their case.

While the lawyer can play an important role in the mediation process, mediation is likely to be more effective when both parties are fully engaged in the process. Mediation is a voluntary process – the party cannot be forced to accept an offer or to participate in the process. Mediation begins with the agreement of the parties to try the process and to agree to participate in good faith with an open mind.

April 17, 2017

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Foreclosure activity drops to pre-recession levels nationwide – The number of foreclosure filings, which include default notices, auctions and bank repossessions, dropped 19% nationwide from a year ago during the first quarter, affecting only roughly 235,000 properties, according to a report released Thursday by real-estate data firm Attom Data Solutions. That figure represents the lowest level of foreclosure activity reported since the third quarter of 2006.

Bitcoin is Now Larger Than Some Fiat Currencies in Europe & Americas in Market Cap – The user base and market cap of bitcoin are larger than most fiat currencies of small countries in Central America, Africa and Europe. The next step for bitcoin is to surpass the market cap of reserve currencies, to establish itself as the global currency used by mainstream users and general consumers.

Cannabis Industry Attracts More Mainstream Investors as Business Grows – With the legal cannabis industry generating $6.9 billion in sales in 2016, up 34% from 2015, it’s a no-brainer to say that much is at stake as the business inevitably grows. Much like the independent movie biz, the cannabis industry attracts investors looking for high-risk, high-reward investments, and as marijuana goes more mainstream, so does the funding mechanisms for the industry’s businesses. Just recently, numerous investment firms have cropped up, announcing themselves as major entities in the billion-dollar industry.

Mediating Complex Probate Cases

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Probate cases are often difficult for a number of reasons. A family has lost a loved one while also grappling with financial decisions and consequences. Rather than bringing further complication into the case, many loved ones decide to mediate their probate case.

Mediation is an alternative to antagonistic litigation. Rather than the parties being adversaries who ignore each other in the court room, mediation focuses on bringing the parties together to work out solutions to their problems together. The parties are assisted by a neutral person who helps facilitate communication between them so that they can reach a mutually acceptable resolution of their case. Unlike a judge, a mediator does not impose an order on the parties. Instead, he or she helps explore the interests of the parties and possible solutions to these problems which the parties can choose to agree to or not agree to.

During mediation, the parties begin with an opening statement that emphasizes the problems that the parties are having and their point of view regarding these problems. Depending on the dynamics involved between the parties and the mediator’s personal style, the parties may remain in the same room with the mediator who encourages the parties to communicate and work through their disagreement or the mediator may separate the parties in an effort at shuttle diplomacy. If the second option is used, one party communicates information to the mediator who then shares information with the other side, going back and forth between the parties, laying out their offers of compromise and why they feel a certain way.

If the parties reach an agreement about their case, the mediator draws up an agreement and the parties sign off on it. If the parties do not reach an agreement, they must still honor the confidential nature of the mediation process and not communicate information shared during this process.

Role of the Mediator in Healthcare Disputes

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When a patient is in a dispute with a hospital, doctor or other healthcare provider, the parties may agree to mediation to help them resolve their legal case. The mediator plays a pivotal role in the potential success of mediation.

The mediator begins the mediation process by inviting the parties to discuss the problem. He or she lays ground rules so that the parties will be able to discuss their legal dispute in a respectful manner. An effective mediator can help create a cooperative environment so that the parties are able to see a different perspective and consider another opinion regarding the dispute. The patient may believe that the healthcare provider has given inaccurate information or made a mistake. The healthcare provider can have honest communication about the patient’s treatment plan and the reasons behind certain decisions. If a claim has been denied, the patient may explain how this can impact his or her life while the insurer can consider if the patient’s claim may be approved. In this way, the mediator helps the parties to open up in a safe environment to clarify the issues involved in the dispute and to improve communication. The mediator is only interested in helping the parties reach a mutually agreeable solution and is objective throughout the process.

The mediator can also help the parties consider alternatives to litigating the case. He or she often leads the parties in brainstorming sessions in which they consider possible solutions to the underlying issues. The parties work together rather than against each other. At the same time, the mediator empowers the parties to keep power over the proceedings and to keep the decision-making authority out of the hands of a third party like a judge or jury.