Mediation is a formal and legal way that you can speak to another party about a legal dispute before it goes to court and gets “ugly” as they say. You can hire a licensed mediator to sit in on your meeting, take notes and help guide the process.

In states like Florida for example, a mediator must be licensed by the state supreme court. A person can easily find a mediator near them in this state by googling “Florida supreme court licensed mediator”. Google will know exactly where to send you as this term is searched literally thousands of times per day.

Rates and Rules

Typically a good licensed mediator will charge from $200 up to $500 per hour. This may seem like a lot of money but it should be noted that you can sometimes complete your goals within one or two visits. Five hundred bucks now can save you tens of thousands of dollars later.

Oftentimes, getting both parties into a formal setting where a professional is managing the process can make all the difference in breaking down the boundaries of bad communication. Having that formal presence there can make all the difference in the world.

The only rules are that both parties must speak civilly and there must not be any outbreaks of temper. Explosive behavior is one way to guarantee termination of the mediation process and to see yourself bound up in a long and costly court case.

Is Mediation Right for You?

Realistically meditation should be tried by every party before going to court. A civil and open discourse should be had on the record before you take the claim to the next level. You may really regret not trying mediation first before going to a court trial.

Mediation has an outstanding success rates. In fact, 86% of all cases brought before a mediator are settled. That is a success rate that is hard to argue.