Mediation is an alternative solution to going to court. The process is simple, confidential, inexpensive and the best part is - you are in control. The parties decide the outcome, what works best in your situation.
A mediator is a neutral party whose role is to help both of you communicate and hopefully find a solution (when serving as a neutral mediator only, we will not offer financial, legal or therapy advice). We simply offer suggestions and guidelines to help you decide. We help open the lines of communication, help you find a mutually agreeable, workable solution.
Just about any civil dispute can be solved through mediation. The most common types are: Many local counties and courts are requiring parties to try mediation before coming to the final hearing. This practice is referred to as "court-mandated" mediation. If so ordered, you will be required to attend a mediation session. However, many individuals find that mediating their issues before going to the court is a better alternative. Often, most of the problems can be solved by structured communication between the two parties. If some issues are still unresolved, then those matters can be taken before the judge. This helps the individuals, the judge and usually results in a better solution for all involved.
Terri L. Brown is a trained mediator and arbitrator. She is registered as a neutral with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, having received over 175 hours of training in civil and domestic mediation, including specialized training for mediating situations with alleged domestic violence, and arbitration. She is an attorney having obtained her law degree from Georgia State University College of Law and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She has several years management and business experience, as well as having worked with bankruptcy cases (both creditor and debtor issues), debt collection, asset management and day-to-day business development. Ms. Brown has a solid background and training in dealing with family issues, divorce, adoption (she is an adoptive mom as well as being adopted herself), custody and child support, wills and probate problems, real estate, homeowners association issues and contracts.
Ms. Brown is on the Court Mandated Approved Mediator list for the following counties/districts:
Arbitration is similar to mediation, except that the neutral decides the outcome in the end. Instead of providing neutral assistance, an arbitrator will make the final decision (much like a judge). Arbitrators can be especially useful when the bulk of the issues have been resolved and only one or two issues are holding you back from reaching that final conclusion.
The parties can choose to instruct the neutral to "switch" from mediating to arbitrating if they desire. However, this option is only available if the mediator is trained, willing and able to arbitrate. Emotions or mental roadblocks can sometimes make settling difficult and by using an arbitrator, parties can often get past that last hurdle and on to a complete agreement.
Discovery time and processes are minimized as compared to a court trial. This enables the dispute to be resolved with less time and less expense. Overall time is shortened, process is confidential, and resolutions are more tailored to the individual parties' needs and situations.
Some contracts or account agreements require mediation and/or arbitration as a means of resolution. If you are in one of these situations, having an attorney who is also a trained arbitrator can be an advantage because of the knowledge and experience you will have on your side going into the session.