It seems that we constantly hear about mediation and arbitration as alternative methods of solving disputes. In fact, some judges even require mediation prior to having a trial in a case. At Racine Olson in Pocatello, Idaho, we are familiar with both of these ways to resolve issues between the parties and can help parties reach mutually beneficial results.
What is Arbitration?Arbitration is a process where a private, third party is used to make a binding decision about a dispute between parties rather than going to Court. In arbitration, the parties have the opportunity to determine what rules will be used, but present their case to the arbitrator in a similar fashion as a court setting. The arbitrator then issues a decision that is binding on the parties and can be recorded with the Court.
What is Mediation?Mediation is a flexible process where parties agree on a neutral third party to help them reach a decision on their own. In other words, the decision is not imposed on the participants like occurs in arbitration or a court proceeding. Rather, the mediator helps the parties explore ways to reach a conclusion that each participant can be satisfied with.
Areas that Mediation or Arbitration are used in to Resolve Disputes.These dispute resolution methods can be used for any area of law from family law to criminal law, and many more. At Racine Olson in Pocatello, we offer mediation and arbitration services in the following areas: