Alternative Dispute Resolutions Services
Mediation services for East Texas
Situated on the Square in Rusk, Texas the Mediation Centre exists to provide affordable alternative dispute resolution services to the citizens of Cherokee County and throughout East Texas. The Mediation Centre is a non-profit company specializes in providing mediators and alternative dispute resolution services.
The Mediation Centre seeks to treat our clients with dignity and respect, striving to earn their trust and maintain our credibility. This is done by providing a forum in which to resolve their conflicts and disputes in a peaceful and expedient manner. The Mediation Centre does mediate cases ordered through the courts as well as those cases referred by an attorney and initiated by a party in conflict.
Introduction to Mediation
What is mediation?
Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution process that is a voluntary, confidential and efficient method to help parties resolve their employment disputes through a mutual agreement. At its heart, mediation is an opportunity for the parties in a dispute to decide their own destiny by determining the outcome of their dispute and avoid an often unpredictable and expensive trial. The mediation process itself is a form of settlement conference guided and supervised by an impartial mediator who has either been chosen by the parties or appointed by a judge.
Who is the mediator and what do they do?
A mediator is an impartial person who works to, facilitates communication between the parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or an understanding between them. If the parties reach a mutually acceptable understanding, the mediator guides them in developing a written and binding contract often referred to as a mediated settlement agreement (or MSA). The mediator’s role is to ensure that parties reach agreements in a voluntarily and informed manner, and not as a result of coercion or intimidation.
Does it work?
Mediation is an inherently voluntary process. It takes both parties participating in good faith to be successful. When the parties do work together mediation is highly effective as resolving disputes. According to a 2018 study by Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution roughly 75-80% of cases settle on the day of the mediation itself and another 10-15% settle shortly after.
Data provided by CEDR – Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. CEDR’s 2018 study “The Eighth Mediation Audit”