What are the Benefits of Civil Mediation?
Cost – Time and money can be saved and emotional stress can be reduced through early resolution of the dispute.
Speed – Mediation can be arranged in a relatively short period of time and has the effect of bringing settlement negotiations to a head quite quickly.
Privacy – Mediation takes place in private and the details of the dispute and its resolution need not be publicly disclosed.
Control – Each of the parties maintains control of the dispute and its resolution because, unlike the trial process, the parties design the settlement and agree to live by it only if it is acceptable to them.
Informal atmosphere – The informal setting and atmosphere of mediation is conducive to productive communication between the parties. Many of the tensions and stresses of the adversarial process are avoided.
Separating the people from the problem – Very often in disputes, personal feelings or emotions become confused with substantive legal issues and play a powerful role in fuelling litigation. The mediator helps to separate the personal dimension from the issues in dispute, reducing tension and making settlement more likely.
Preserving relationships – Many parties to a dispute must continue to deal with one another, either in business or otherwise, after the dispute is resolved. Mediation, because it tries to avoid polarizing the parties, can help to preserve a working relationship.
Want to know more about the cost-effectiveness of mediation?
Take a look at Mediate BC’s study A Case for Mediation: The Cost Effectiveness of Civil, Family, and Workplace Mediation.
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