Mediation is the process in which a “third party neutral,” the mediator, attempts to help parties reach resolution of their disputes. “Third party neutral” means that the mediator is not a party to the dispute or an attorney for any party to the dispute and is neutral–that is not an advocate for either party’s position.
Arbitration is the process by which the parties agree to allow a trained arbitrator (rather than a judge) decide their dispute. The decision then goes to a judge in the applicable court for ratification–the process by which the arbitrator’s decision becomes a court order–but there are few bases upon which the court can refuse to ratify the arbitrator’s decision.
A major distinction between mediation and arbitration is that the mediator has no ability to make the parties reach an agreement against their will while an arbitrator, much like a judge, can render an enforceable decision that the parties do not agree with but that still is binding upon them.
“Get Married” contrasted with “You’ll Do”: two recent books about marriage
For both professional reasons [family law attorney for 30 years] and personal reasons [husband for 34 years], I find the sociology of marriage
The June 20, 2024 Court of Appeals opinion in Carter v. Carter corrects an obvious family court error but fails to correct what
May 9th Q&A with Professor Marcia Zug about You’ll Do at Blue Bicycle Books
On May 9, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. I will be doing a Q&A with Marcia Zug, the Miles and Ann Loadholt Professor of
