Before:#

1. Contact the Mediation Program to find out if your conflict qualifies for mediation.
2. The Mediation staff will contact the other people involved in your conflict to invite them to mediation.
3. If they’re willing, Mediation staff will schedule a 2-hour session in a City meeting room with you, the other involved people, and a volunteer mediation team.
4. You’ll receive materials from the Mediation staff to help you prepare for the session.

Ask about a Mediation

During:#

1. The mediators explain the process and the ground rules.
2. You and the other involved people will each have time to describe the conflict from their own perspective, one at a time, without interruption.
3. Once stories have been shared, you and the other involved people will switch focus to the future & discuss any ideas about potential solutions.
4. If you and the other involved people reach an agreement, mediators can type it up for review & signing.
5. If the mediation doesn’t result in an agreement, your options include scheduling time for an additional session, leaving the situation as-is, or pursuing the conflict further in court.

After:#

1. The City’s Mediation office does not enforce mediation agreements. It’s up to you to follow through with the terms of the agreement.
2. If you feel the other mediation participant is not complying with the agreement, you can request another mediation to clarify or change the terms.
3. If the problem is still unresolved, you may also choose to go to court.  Mediation agreements are admissible in court and courts usually treat a mediated agreement as binding and enforceable.