Do you want to resolve your business or family law dispute quickly, inexpensively and privately? Then avoid litigation at all costs. Instead, consider the alternative of mediation. Mediation is much less expensive than litigation. It is a voluntary process where a neutral person, sensitive to the needs and concerns of both parties helps them to reach a mutually beneficial agreement to resolve the dispute. The parties generally split the cost of a mediator. The mediation sessions themselves are relatively short lasting from a half day, to a few days, depending upon the nature and complexity of the issues.
Litigation, on the other hand can take years and it costs a fortune. Each side needs its own lawyers and the whole idea of litigation is that it is adversarial. One party fights the other to be the winner. With mediation, both sides can be winners.
While most civil cases are supposed to proceed to trial within one year’s time under the “Fast Track Rules”, there are still post trial motions and appeals to contend with. Then, you also have enforcement of judgment issues. It is one thing to obtain a judgment and quite another to enforce it.
With mediation, you and the other party have control over the outcome as opposed to letting a complete stranger make the decisions for you. And agreements that are made by compromise are a lot easier to enforce than court judgments.
With litigation, everything is public. Look at the Britney Spears and Kevin Federline debacle. Mediation proceedings are confidential. Unlike litigation, your private and personal information is not made available in the public record for everyone to see.
With more than 90 percent of cases settling before trial, isn’t it better to at least try to resolve your dispute now before spending large sums of money on attorneys’ fees? Odds are your case will resolve itself at the end of the day by negotiation anyway. Stop the fighting, emotional and financial drain now.
For more information, please call United Mediation Services at 661-257-8877.