Larry S. Hersch

WHAT IS MEDIATION?

When you are involved in a law suit, you may find the judge will require you to go to mediation before he will allow you into his courtroom. Mediators help those involved in a dispute to come to an agreement without imposing their own views. Unlike when you go in front of a judge, the mediation meeting is not a formal one and can be held anywhere agreeable to both parites. During mediation you both get to voice your grievances and demands and the impartial mediator works with you to view the situation dispassionately. The mediator does not make a ruling on the case as a judge would, but instead helps you both to come to a decision that is mutually acceptable. This is then presented to the judge who makes that decision a ruling.

WHY MEDIATE?

Mediations save time. For a case to go from filing to judgment may take as little as one year and for cases to take much longer is not unusual.

Mediations save money. A mediation can take as little as two hours which would cost each party less than $300 while taking a case all the way through to judgment in court may cost many thousands.

Mediations decrease stress. Going all the way from filing to obtaining a judge's ruling has emotional costs. Weeks and months (and maybe years) of waiting for a situation to be resolved is stressful. Divorce settlements, personal injury insurance claims, in fact any legal disputes that take a long time to resolve cause loss of sleep, anxiety and sometimes depression. These emotional costs are hard to put a money value on but a mediator's job is to help you do so.

Mediations end bickering. Resolutions, when properly arrived at, usually end the bickering between the parties on a more permanent basis.

WHERE MEDIATE?

Florida Mediation Services provides offices in Zephryhills designed specifically for mediations, with a reception area and three sound-proofed offices so you now have a neutral place, away from the bustle of the standard busy law practice.