ARTICLES
Online Dispute Resolution in a Post COVID-19 World
Online dispute resolution, both arbitration and mediation, are now available even from home. For some time, mediators and arbitrators have been using video conferencing to resolve disputes between people from different area codes, cities, states and countries....
BINDING AGREEMENTS IN MEDIATION
By Robert E. L. Wright, Mediator and Arbitrator A federal district judge in Detroit has upheld rulings by a bankruptcy judge and a federal magistrate enforcing a settlement agreement reached in mediation. The Debtor/Defendant attempted to avoid the terms of the...
Preparing for a Successful Mediation – Part 4
(This is the final installment of a four-part guide to help participants prepare for mediation. It began as a checklist for attorneys to use when preparing themselves and their clients to achieve better outcomes in the mediation of a court-connected matter. As more...
Preparing for a Successful Mediation – Part 3
This is part three of a four-part guide on preparing for mediation. It began as a checklist for attorneys to use when preparing themselves and their clients to achieve better outcomes in the mediation of a court-connected matter. As more and more people use mediation...
Preparing for a Successful Mediation – Part 2
(This is part two of a four-part guide on preparing for mediation. It began as a checklist for attorneys to use when preparing themselves and their clients to achieve better outcomes in the mediation of a court-connected matter. As more and more people use mediation...
Preparing for a Successful Mediation – Part 1
(This is part one of a four-part article on preparing for mediation. It is adapted from a checklist for attorneys to use when preparing themselves and their clients to achieve better outcomes in the mediation of court-connected matters. As more and more people use...
Family Matters — in Mediation
An aging parent is resisting attempts by children or others to make difficult, life-restricting changes: giving up their car keys; turning over their checkbook; moving from their life-long home; separating from a spouse for medical reasons; or a first-time experience...
ROBERT WRIGHT TO CHAIR ADR COMMITTEE FOR BANKRUPTCY COURT
Robert E. L. Wright of The Peace Talks, PLC has been appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Grand Rapids to chair a subcommittee charged with developing new rules for alternative dispute resolution processes in bankruptcy cases filed in west Michigan and Michigan's...
Breaking the First Offer Logjam in Mediation
Recently, in a mediation training, a new mediator asked me what to do when a defendant is unwilling to submit an offer because they are convinced the case will be thrown out of court. The following technique was designed for mediators, but it can also be effective for...
Why Mediate?
Mediation is a process where a neutral third-party meets with parties in dispute (“disputants”) to act as a moderator for their settlement negotiations and attempts to satisfy as many needs and interests of all concerned as possible. The process works with or without...