Services Offered
While there are many types of mediation and conflict resolution services, those listed below are the ones most commonly offered by our Centers.
Because Centers offer services based on the needs of the communities they serve, not all Centers offer the same services. The Mediation Centers page lets you search for Centers in your area, and each Center's page has a list of the services they offer. Some Centers offer services outside their normal service area, so if your local Center doesn’t have the service you’re interested in, another Center may still be able to help.
These mediations allow people a safe and confidential venue to resolve their disagreements without court involvement. The mediator helps each side communicate their concerns and issues, with the goal of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.
District Criminal Court mediation
District Criminal Court mediation provides an opportunity for those involved in a court case to sit down with a mediator to try and talk through their dispute.
Each party is given an opportunity to tell their side of the story, hear the other side, and search for ways to settle their disagreements. If the mediation is successful, the parties are given copies of the agreement to take home and the court case is dismissed.
District Criminal Court mediation is only available for misdemeanor criminal cases where the court has determined that mediation is an appropriate option.
Juvenile mediation
Juvenile mediation is designed to give young people (under age 18) the opportunity to deal with the source of conflicts and help participants to be accountable for their actions. Juvenile mediation may include family members, juvenile victims and/or offenders, or school administrators, depending on the dispute. Each participant is given the opportunity to express their view of the conflict in a safe and confidential setting in the hopes of reaching a resolution.
Issues may involve school suspensions, runaway behavior, fighting, bullying, conflict at home, and other disruptive and destructive behaviors.
Teen Court
Teen Court is an alternative to the juvenile court system that allows first-time, misdemeanor youth offenders the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions, avoid the criminal justice system, and make amends.
Most Teen Court programs involve a traditional court process where teen volunteers serve as the jury, lawyers, bailiff, etc., working with real court professionals to ensure an accurate understanding of their responsibilities in Teen Court. Consequences for the youth offender are determined by a jury of their peers and may include serving on the jury of future Teen Court sessions, other community service, and classes or training to help the youth make better choices in the future.
Truancy mediation
Truancy mediation is used to address issues with school attendance and related concerns. Generally, truancy mediation involves the child, their parents, and members of the school administration gathering to discuss what is causing the attendance issue and how it can be resolved. Teachers are also encouraged to either attend or provide feedback on the student’s academics and behavior. Truancy mediation can also help connect the child and their family to resources when other difficulties are exposed during the course of the mediation.
Jail mediation
Jail mediations are used to address matters inmates raise to their correctional facility’s Jail Grievance Officer. These matters typically involve concerns about inmate penalties for violating correctional facility rules.
Landlord/tenant/HOA mediation
Disputes may involve issues related to rent payment, property damage, noise, eviction, HOA dues, HOA rule enforcement, renovations that conflict with HOA regulations, etc.
No-Contact Order (50-C) mediation
Mediation services are typically not available in No-Contact Order (50-C) matters related to domestic violence.
Family mediation
Disputes may involve conflicts between parents/children, other relatives, or people who are or were in a personal relationship.
Friend/roommate/neighbor mediation
Disputes may involve issues with communication, noise, property/use of space, or other disagreements.
Business/workplace disputes mediation
Disputes may involve conflicts between employees at the same workplace, employees and their manager/boss, business partners, etc.
Customer/merchant disputes mediation
Disputes may involve customer complaints, refunds/exchanges, goods/services, or debt payment issues.
Homeowner/builder or contractor disputes mediation
Disputes may involve issues related to construction, home/business remodeling or repairs, landscaping work, etc.
Resident/municipality or utility department mediation
Disputes may involve issues related to utility bill payment, utility cutoff, violations of town/city/municipality regulations, etc.
Classes/training for individuals or groups
Topics may include: Communication, conflict resolution, parenting and co-parenting, family skill-building, anger management, mediation, drug education, etc.
Depending on the specific class/training offered by the Center, sessions may be designed for individuals or groups and may include one or more sessions.
Because each Center offers services based on the needs of the communities they serve, different Centers may offer different services, and a Center may offer a particular service only in a limited area. Some Centers may not provide services for certain specific sorts of concerns (for example: a Center may provide mediation for family disputes, except when domestic violence is involved).
Whether you are interested in services for a court-referred, school-referred, or self-referred dispute, use our listing of Medition Centers to find a Center that offers the service; then, contact them to discuss your issue and the service you are interested in.