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Full-Text Articles in Law

Issues Facing The Family Mediation Field , Joan B. Kelly Apr 2012

Issues Facing The Family Mediation Field , Joan B. Kelly

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

This article analyzes a number of important issues confronting family mediation in the new millennium. The article addresses family mediation as an interdisciplinary field and the certification of family mediators. The article also explores how to ensure competence in family mediators.


Institutionalizing Mediation: The Role Of Lawyers And Bar Associations , Ronald R. Volkmer Apr 2012

Institutionalizing Mediation: The Role Of Lawyers And Bar Associations , Ronald R. Volkmer

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

The world of trusts and estates is changing before our eyes - the "multidiscipline practice" trend may radically change the traditional practice of the probate bar. There is one constant, however, besides change and that is conflict. That conflict is oftentimes lurking beneath the surface when a lawyer becomes involved in the estate planning process. All of the technical knowledge you may possess about the legal system and its rules is valuable and necessary. But, the estate planning lawyer is preeminently a counselor at law. In the strongest possible way I urge students to become aware of conflict management skills …


Mediation And Jury Trials As Means Of Resolving Will Contests , Ronald Chester Apr 2012

Mediation And Jury Trials As Means Of Resolving Will Contests , Ronald Chester

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

In the vast range of human problems that law seeks to govern, there are certain areas in which legalisms and legal thinking are not particularly useful. It is my belief that one of these areas is that of will contests, in which nonlawyer dispute resolution seems particularly effective.


Mediation Of Probate Matters: Leaving A Valuable Legacy , Lela Porter Love Apr 2012

Mediation Of Probate Matters: Leaving A Valuable Legacy , Lela Porter Love

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Mediation has the power to bring parties to a different level of understanding about their underlying situation and about each other, to re-establish family harmony and to resolve both monetary and relationship issues that probate matters generally involve. To realize these advantages, this paper makes two suggestions. First, attorneys should urge testators to consider dispute resolution provisions in their will. Such provisions allow the testator to weigh in with a directive that the family pull together and attempt to resolve its conflicts creatively. A dispute resolution clause can also provide a vehicle to express and encourage family values connected with …


Advantages And Disadvantages Of Mediation In Probate, Trust, And Guardianship Matters , Mary F. Radford Apr 2012

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Mediation In Probate, Trust, And Guardianship Matters , Mary F. Radford

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Mediation is the ADR process by which a neutral third party works with disputants to reach a mutually agreeable resolution. Mediation is arguably the oldest and most popular ADR technique in use today. Part I of this essay discusses the commonly accepted advantages of mediation as an alternative to litigation, and, in some instances, questions whether those advantages become disadvantages in the context of probate, trust, and guardianship cases. Part II examines the use of mediation as a component of the actual estate planning process rather than as an alternative to litigation.


The Greatest Heritage Is The Love Of A Family: The Larson Case And The Mediation Of Probate Disputes, Susan N. Gary Apr 2012

The Greatest Heritage Is The Love Of A Family: The Larson Case And The Mediation Of Probate Disputes, Susan N. Gary

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

In 1981, two brothers, Ben and William Larson, began litigation that would last for four years. By the time the lawsuit ended, the "winning" brother was dead, and the other brother was bitter and estranged from the family of his only sibling. Although one can only speculate, had the brothers chosen mediation, rather than litigation, to resolve their dispute, both brothers might have achieved a better outcome.


Collaborative Family Law - The Big Picture, Kim David Kurodason, Donna Beck Weaver, David Kuroda Mar 2012

Collaborative Family Law - The Big Picture, Kim David Kurodason, Donna Beck Weaver, David Kuroda

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Collaborative family law is an innovative intervention designed to bring legal, psychological and financial expertise to assist couples who face divorce. It's non-adversarial and problem-solving setting facilitates the transition to a healthy, post-divorce life for the family. Not surprisingly, clients are very satisfied. How does this all work and should you consider collaborative family law in your practice? Following presentation was made on February 20, 2004 at the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts California Chapter Conference and provides an introduction to the fundamentals of collaborative family law, the fastest growing practice area in family law.


The Collaborative Law Process For Prenuptial Agreements, Donna Beck Weaver Mar 2012

The Collaborative Law Process For Prenuptial Agreements, Donna Beck Weaver

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

This article posits that the prevailing adversarial model for negotiating prenuptial agreements deters many from considering them, and limits the benefits that might otherwise be achieved for couples by prenuptial planning. This article posits that the collaborative law process offers an effective method for developing prenuptial agreements, one that is far better suited to the needs of persons who are about to marry than the traditional model. This article concludes that the standard of care for prenuptial agreements should mandate the use of the collaborative process for most cases.


Collaborative Family Law, Pauline H. Tesler Mar 2012

Collaborative Family Law, Pauline H. Tesler

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Collaborative Law appears to meet significant needs both among family law clients and among the lawyers who assist them through divorce. As will be discussed more fully below, clients appear to want the advantages of a contained, settlement-oriented, creative, private, respectful process without sacrificing the benefits of having a committed legal advocate at their sides. For that reason Collaborative Law appeals to clients who may hesitate to commit to a dispute resolution process facilitated solely by a neutral mediator. And, while many family lawyers suffer considerable professional angst as a consequence of their awareness that family law courts are neither …


Moving Forward Together: The Lgbt Community And The Family Mediation Field , Mark J. Hanson Mar 2012

Moving Forward Together: The Lgbt Community And The Family Mediation Field , Mark J. Hanson

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

This is a time of great change for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender ("LGBT") community. Members of the LGBT community have gained increased awareness and rights. The United States Supreme Court found state sodomy laws that ban same-sex sexual activity unconstitutional. Thirty-three states have enacted hate crime legislation that protects members of the LGBT community. Recently from the streets of San Francisco, to New Platz, New York and to Sandoval County, New Mexico, LGBT couples have received marriage licenses despite being prohibited by state law. Other states, such as Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont have enacted legislation giving LGBT couples …


In The Aftermath Of The Terri Schiavo Case: Resolving End-Of-Life Disputes Through Alternative Dispute Resolution, Alisa L. Geller Mar 2012

In The Aftermath Of The Terri Schiavo Case: Resolving End-Of-Life Disputes Through Alternative Dispute Resolution, Alisa L. Geller

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Imagine yourself the proud parent of an adult daughter. You have spent many years nurturing your precious child so that she may excel in the world. Just as all of your dreams for her are coming true, the news no parent wants to hear was delivered. Your daughter lost control of her car, the vehicle overturned and she was found lying face down in a ditch. You gasped. You expected the worst. A tragic end to a life yet lived. Then, the good news was delivered. You breathed a sigh of relief. You learned she survived. She was in a …


A Holistic Approach To Estate Planning: Paramount In Protecting Your Family, Your Wealth, And Your Legacy, Melissa Street Mar 2012

A Holistic Approach To Estate Planning: Paramount In Protecting Your Family, Your Wealth, And Your Legacy, Melissa Street

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

This comment will take an in-depth look at the art of holistic estate planning. Part II will walk through an overview of how the holistic estate planning process works. Part III will discuss certain familial circumstances that have the most to gain from the holistic approach. Part IV will give a brief overview of other alternatives to litigation and their disadvantages. Part V will conclude this article.


Mediating Child Custody Disputes For High Conflict Couples: Structuring Mediation To Accommodate The Needs & Desires Of Litigious Parents , Jessica J. Sauer Mar 2012

Mediating Child Custody Disputes For High Conflict Couples: Structuring Mediation To Accommodate The Needs & Desires Of Litigious Parents , Jessica J. Sauer

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

While alternative dispute resolution has become widely accepted in recent years, several types of legal disagreements continue to be regarded as unsuitable for mediation. Child custody disputes between "high conflict" couples are one such category. Unfortunately, the process of litigating custody disputes between high conflict couples can be more damaging to children than the parents' actual divorce. Instead of dismissing mediation out of hand because of the difficulties in helping these parents see eye-to-eye, scholars might be wise to reevaluate the potential for mediating these disputes. This article will attempt to advance this idea in several ways. To begin, it …


When Mediation Confidentiality And Substantive Law Clash: An Inquiry Into The Impact Of In Re Marriage Of Kieturakis On California's Confidentiality Law, Annalisa L. H. Peterson Feb 2012

When Mediation Confidentiality And Substantive Law Clash: An Inquiry Into The Impact Of In Re Marriage Of Kieturakis On California's Confidentiality Law, Annalisa L. H. Peterson

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Mediation confidentiality laws play a critical role in allowing mediation to remain a viable process for parties to discuss the issues involved in their dispute, exchange information, and potentially reach a settlement before trial. Without certain guarantees as to the confidential nature of such a meeting, no savvy party or attorney would agree to provide information that could later be turned against him at trial, and many valuable opportunities (as measured in time, cost, reputation, relationship, etc.) for resolution would be lost. However, some parties to mediated disputes either do not reach resolution, or later contest a mediated agreement in …


Culture In International Parental Kidnapping Mediations, Melissa A. Kucinski Feb 2012

Culture In International Parental Kidnapping Mediations, Melissa A. Kucinski

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Mediating an international parental kidnapping case involves much more than knowing some family law-it involves complex emotions, strict time constraints, multiple nations' laws and policies, intricate international treaties, juggling interpreters, attorneys, government officials, judges, and parents who may be physically located thousands of miles apart, and the blunt reality that you may have no understanding of either parent's cultural customs or the way each will communicate with the other parent or with you. While the "culture" part of the mediation may appear to be the least significant element, it could be key to the success of the mediation. Nonetheless, "culture" …


Guardians Ad Litem Do Not Belong In Family Mediations , Suzanne J. Schmitz Feb 2012

Guardians Ad Litem Do Not Belong In Family Mediations , Suzanne J. Schmitz

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

A Guardiam Ad Litem (GAL) is valuable to the resolution of custody disputes because the GAL evaluates the facts concerning the dispute and recommends to the court what are the best interests of the child.5 Mediation is valuable because parents can determine their own decisions regarding their children. However, where appointing a GAL threatens the value of mediation, there is a risk to mediation. A simple solution to avoid this threat is to refrain from appointing a GAL until after mediation has been attempted or, if one is appointed prior to mediation, to excuse the GAL from mediation. This article …


Stumbling Down The Courthouse Steps: Mediators' Perceptions Of The Stumbling Blocks To Successful Mandated Mediation In Child Custody And Visitation , Sandra J. Perry, Tanya M. Marcum, Charles R. Stoner Feb 2012

Stumbling Down The Courthouse Steps: Mediators' Perceptions Of The Stumbling Blocks To Successful Mandated Mediation In Child Custody And Visitation , Sandra J. Perry, Tanya M. Marcum, Charles R. Stoner

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Although many concerns and criticisms about the efficacy of family law mediation have been made by attorneys, judges, and psychologists, we seldom hear from the mediators themselves about how the process works. In this study, we examine the mediators' perceptions of the stumbling blocks to success in mandatory child custody mediation and make some recommendations about how the process might be improved.


For Heaven's Sake, Give The Child A Voice: An Adr Approach To Interfaith Child Custody Disputes , Charlee Lane Feb 2012

For Heaven's Sake, Give The Child A Voice: An Adr Approach To Interfaith Child Custody Disputes , Charlee Lane

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

There has been ample study devoted to the problems that arise when courts are faced with custody disputes intertwined with issues of religion. Unfortunately, many of those studies conclude without proposing an effective solution or by suggesting an alternative without defining what that alternative might be. A solution must be employed that allows religious consideration in a forum more suitable to facilitating a resolution in the complete best interest of the child and parents. Mediation provides this forum by facilitating a negotiation in which parents are allowed to develop their own collaborative solutions to interfaith child custody disputes. Through techniques …


Teaching The Ethical Values Governing Mediator Impartiality Using Short Lectures, Buzz Group Discussions, Video Clips, A Defining Features Matrix, Games, And An Exercise Based On Grievances Filed Against Florida Mediators , Paula M. Young Feb 2012

Teaching The Ethical Values Governing Mediator Impartiality Using Short Lectures, Buzz Group Discussions, Video Clips, A Defining Features Matrix, Games, And An Exercise Based On Grievances Filed Against Florida Mediators , Paula M. Young

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Teaching Professional Ethics to Lawyers and Mediators Using Active Learning Techniques will serve as the first article in a series of articles I have planned on the use of active learning techniques to teach the core values of mediation: mediator impartiality, party self-determination, confidentiality, and quality of the process/mediator competence. This article is the second article in that series. In Section III, I summarize the first article in the series. In Section IV, I describe the role of mediator impartiality as a core value of the mediation field. I evaluate the definitions of mediation found in several ethics codes as …