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Mediation And Domestic Violence: A Practical Screening Method For Mediators And Mediation Program Administrators, Alexandria Zylstra Jul 2001

Mediation And Domestic Violence: A Practical Screening Method For Mediators And Mediation Program Administrators, Alexandria Zylstra

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Presented with such a dearth of standard practices and literature, family mediators have little guidance in whether and how to address cases involving domestic violence. Thus, this article sets forth a mediation screening framework that mediators and mediation program administrators can use to evaluate whether cases are appropriate for regular mediation (joint session without special safety measures), some modified form of mediation, or should be excluded from mediation. Such a method will better ensure a safe and fair mediation experience. Part II briefly examines the controversy surrounding the mediation of cases involving domestic violence, concluding that the arguments against mediating …


The Thinning Vision Of Self-Determination In Court-Connected Mediation: The Inevitable Price Of Institutionalization?, Nancy A. Welsh Mar 2001

The Thinning Vision Of Self-Determination In Court-Connected Mediation: The Inevitable Price Of Institutionalization?, Nancy A. Welsh

Faculty Scholarship

Ethical codes for mediators describe party self-determination as “the fundamental principle of mediation,” regardless of the context within which the mediation is occurring. The definition of self-determination, however, is a matter of dispute. Based on a review of the debate surrounding the promulgation and revision of ethical codes for court-connected mediators in Florida and Minnesota, this Article demonstrates that a vision of self-determination anchored in party-centered empowerment is yielding to a vision that is more reflective of the norms and traditional practices of lawyers and judges, as well as the courts’ strong orientation to efficiency and closure of cases through …


Making Deals In Court-Connected Mediation: What's Justice Got To Do With It?, Nancy A. Welsh Jan 2001

Making Deals In Court-Connected Mediation: What's Justice Got To Do With It?, Nancy A. Welsh

Faculty Scholarship

When mediation was first introduced to the courts, the process was hailed as “alternative.” Mediation gave disputants the opportunity to discuss and resolve their dispute themselves; the role of the third party was to facilitate the disputants’ negotiations, not to dictate the outcome; and because the disputants were able to focus on their underlying interests in mediation, the process could result in creative, customized solutions. The picture of mediation is changing, however, as the process settles into its role as a tool for the resolution of personal injury, contract, and other nonfamily cases on the courts’ civil dockets. Attorneys dominate …