You've never had to Mediate. What do you need to know?
The basics of mediation
You received a notice from your local court that you must attend a mediation for some kind of dispute or disagreement. Perhaps you have a neighbor with a complaint or you are a small business person that has a disgruntled customer. Someone went to your local court and filed a lawsuit for some amount of money that they want from you, typically.
What do you do? Depending on the complexity and the dollar amount of the lawsuit, you might want to contact a lawyer for legal advice. Sometimes though, if it is a rather straightforward complaint, with simple requirements, you might try to defend yourself.
If the court has ordered you to mediation, there is no choice but you must attend the mediation. You may choose to hire an attorney but you don't have to hire one.
Let's talk about what to expect in a simple mediation.
- I routinely mediate online, in a virtual setting. This makes it more convenient for some people. Some like to come into a physical office and that can be done also.
- Only the parties named in the lawsuit can take part in mediation, no children or other friends/family.
- A mediation has no pre-set time limit. It will take as long as both parties are willing to continue to mediate
- It is YOUR mediation, not the mediators. This means that YOU are responsible for trying to negotiate an agreement with the other party.
- It is not mandatory that you come to an agreement. It is possible to not agree in which case you will then go to court and present your case to a judge.
I will share more with you next month, or you can contact Mediators of Georgia with our online form and I will be happy to help you.
