Law Commons^™

Mind The Gap: Bringing Technology To The Mediation Table, Alyson Carrel, Noam Ebner

Journal of Dispute Resolution

As technology impacts every aspect of our lives, all professions are exploring how to benefit from use of technology. Mediation is no exception. Since the mid-1990s, the field has explored applying technology to resolve conflict. At an early point this exploration narrowed in on substituting physical convening with wholly-online processes. Conflating “technology” with “online,” however, left an entire practice area unaddressed, a gap we need to mind: application of technology to support traditional, in-person mediation processes. Indeed, today, most mediation processes are largely bereft of technology. This Article suggests that by not minding the gap, traditional mediation forgoes opportunities to …

Don’T Pull The Plug On Bioethics Mediation: The Use Of Mediation In Health Care Settings And End Of Life Situations, Amy Moorkamp

Journal of Dispute Resolution

A hefty decision, such as the life or death of a loved one, requires more than a few minutes of deliberation and a handful of outside consultations. Delicate, emotional, and potentially contentious medical decisions compel a structured, compassionate approach to produce quality and well-informed results. Due to the magnitude of the decision being made, as well as the abundance of other considerations, (emotional, religious, historic, financial, etc.) the case for a creative, problem-solving process of dispute resolution, such as mediation, is ripe.

This Comment will explore the use of mediation in bioethical disputes. In Part II, the Comment will give …

The English Inheritance—What The First American Colonists Knew Of Mediation And Arbitration, Derek Roebuck

Journal of Dispute Resolution

It seems fair to assume that the first American colonists took with them attitudes and practices from home, including the ways in which they routinely resolved disputes. For example, on November 11, 1647 the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony authorized the purchase of Edward Coke’s Reports, First and Second Institutes and Book of Entries, “to the end we may have the better light for making and proceedings about laws.” But does that mean it was natural then for parties with differences to look to litigation for an answer? This Article provides ample evidence of a preference for other …

Professor Roebuck’S Lessons For Mediators, Arbitrators, And Historians, Douglas E. Abrams

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Professor Roebuck’s biographical essay on Nathaniel Bacon, the centerpiece of his historical article, delivers a timely lesson about how adherence to solid personal standards can elevate a mediator or arbitrator above the rest of the pack. With an eye toward future national direction, the article closes by summoning American historians to chronicle the development of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) since the nation’s colonial days.

The Idea And The Use Of Mediation And Collaborative Dispute Resolution In Due Process Disputes, Katherine Mcmurtrey

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This Comment discusses the future of alternative dispute resolution in special education conflicts by first examining a brief history of the IDEA and the areas it covers. Due process complaints under the IDEA and mediation as a solution to due process complaints will then be addressed. Then, it will focus on mediation and its impact on parents and schools, particularly the advantages and disadvantages of mediation, and the presence of attorneys in mediation. Finally, it will look towards collaborative law, when two attorneys and their clients collaborate to reach an agreement, and the future of collaborative dispute resolution in the …

Robbing The Cradle: The Use Of Mediation In Parental Rights Termination With Evidence Of Drug Abuse By The Mother, M. Katherine Kerbs

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This Comment will explore the use of mediation in termination of parental rights proceedings where there is evidence of drug abuse by the parents. First, this Comment will give an overview of termination proceedings and examine a specific statute’s guidelines for termination. Then, this Comment will provide an overview of mediation and its uses in family law. Finally, this Comment will argue for increased use of mediation in termination of parental rights cases where there is evidence of drug abuse by the mother.

Mediating A Family: The Use Of Mediation In The Formation And Enforcement Of Post-Adoption Contact Agreements, Sophie Mashburn

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This comment will discuss how and why adoption law has evolved into a preference for open adoption, provide a brief history of post-adoption contact agreements, and discuss the current and best practices for utilizing post-adoption contact agreements. Finally, this comment will explore the use of mediation in various states to assist adoptive parents and birth parents in forming and maintaining an agreement they both accept and that furthers the best interests of the children being adopted. Using mediation to further the interests of children, adoptive couples, and birth parents is a positive trend in adoption law that should be encouraged …

Pressure To Plead: How Case-Management Mediation Will Alter Criminal Plea-Bargaining, Taylor C. Leonard

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This note first discusses the facts and proceedings in Milligan. Next, it explores the history and importance of plea-bargaining in the United States and how mediation has slowly become a part of criminal proceedings. Next, this note examines the Milligan court's reasoning for upholding the mediation plea bargain at issue in that case, in light of the legal landscape concerning ADR and the criminal justice system. Finally, this note argues in favor of using case-management mediation in criminal plea negotiations, and explores the proper methods and procedures to make these mediations successful.

State Legislative Update , Lacy Cansler, Daniel Levy, Kelisen Molloy, Henry Tanner

Journal of Dispute Resolution

While on the surface it seems like any legislation helping Americans keep their homes is a good idea, some critics question the effectiveness of these laws. They cite evidence (to be discussed below) showing foreclosure rates do not improve in states with foreclosure mediation laws. Others argue that while it may only be a short-term fix towards the larger problems that ail our economy, foreclosure mediation has shown to be a positive measure that helps many Americans, especially when the law is properly written. This paper will analyze the recent foreclosure mediation laws, and will explore the effectiveness of this …

Regulating Mediator Qualifications In The 2008 Eu Mediation Directive: The Need For A Supranational Standard, Ashley Feasley

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This paper will illustrate how the regulation of mediator training and the implementation of minimum qualification levels will help the Directive have a longterm impact in six parts. Part II will briefly examine mediation in an international law context. Part III will discuss the history of the Directive and pertinent provisions of the Directive. Part IV will address the recent situation in Italy, with a particular focus on the opposition to Legislative Decree 28, mandatory mediation, and the perceived lack of mediator qualifications. Part V will examine the current mediator trainings and qualification standards that are required in other selected …

Pitfalls And Possibilities Of Using Technology In Mediating Cross-Border Child Custody Cases, The, Melissa A. Kucinski

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This paper will explore current efforts to ensure parents have the opportunity to elect voluntary mediation with a skilled international family mediator to resolve issues stemming from one parent traveling to another country with the parties' child, against the wishes of the co-parent. Additionally, this paper will explore, in general, the practical and substantive considerations in mediating a cross-border child custody case, with a focus on one issue of primary concern-the use of technology in these mediations. The paper will additionally include a discussion on whether technology will hinder or help resolution when considering cultural differences. Many mediators prefer to …

Mediation Tune Up For The State Court Appellate Machine, A, Bobbi Mcadoo

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This Article begins in Part II with a review of the rationale for appellate mediation programs. In Part III the Article will discuss the development and evaluation of a pilot program for the mediation of family appellate cases in Minnesota. The pilot was developed and implemented with the goals of settlement and other qualitative justice measures in mind. Moreover, preliminary evaluation results for the pilot suggest that both continue to be important and can be achieved.3 In Part IV the Article will discuss the elements of program design most likely to make appellate mediation programs succeed, in terms of both …

Mediation In Employment And Creeping Legalism: Implications For Dispute Systems Design, Lisa Blomgren Bingham, Susan Summers Raines, Timothy Hedeen, Lisa Marie Napoli

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article will explore the question of creeping legalism in mediation of statutory disputes arising out of employment. First, it will briefly review the issue of creeping legalism in arbitration. Second, it will introduce dispute systems design (DSD). Third, it will review the analogous debate on legalism in mediation in three design contexts: evaluative mediation of employment disputes in the court-connected setting, grievance mediation embedded in the collective bargaining agreement, and transformative mediation of employment disputes in the United States Postal Service's (USPS's) REDRESS program. Most employees do not face a choice among mediation models; instead, they choose among adjudicative …

Unexcused Absence: A Review Of The Need, Costs, And (Lack Of) State Support For Peer Mediation Programs In U.S. Schools, Matthew D. Decker

Journal of Dispute Resolution

You might not have heard about peer mediation lately. You might not have heard about it at all. That's a problem. Peer mediation, though grossly underutilized, could be the potent and cost-effective answer to many of the problems facing U.S. schools.

State Legislative Update, Ashley Brittain, Sean Dolan, Alicia Hammond, Meghan Prideaux

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The purpose of this Bill is to provide notice to owners of residential real property owners that mediation with the mortgagee is an option at the onset of foreclosure proceedings. The Bill changes the mechanism by which borrowers are notified of foreclosures; instead of receiving a writ and summons, borrowers receive a notice of mediation, a foreclosure mediation certificate, and a blank appearance form. Borrowers still receive the writ, summons, and complaint, however. The lender must appear at the mediation with the authority to approve a proposed settlement in order to receive a remedy, and no attorney's fees will be …

Promise Of Confidentiality In Mediation: Practitioners' Perceptions, The, T. Noble Foster, Selden Prentice

Journal of Dispute Resolution

In response to these articles, we sought to determine the perceptions of mediation practitioners in our own region, the Seattle/King County area, regarding mediation confidentiality and privilege. This paper presents our finding and addresses the following: (1) the scope of confidentiality and privilege under Washington law; (2) recent Washington case law addressing evidence of mediation communications; (3) a review of Florida's recent legislation - significantly different from Washington law, and unique among state mediation statutes - which provides for sanctions in the event confidentiality is breached; and (4) the perceptions of mediators, attorneys, and judges from the greater Seattle area …

Future Of Mediation: A Sociological Perspective, The, Brian Jarrett

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Arguably, these sociological pressures are central to the future direction of the mediation field and, in the aggregate, provide a useful building block in the development of an emerging sociology of mediation-a development that could fill the theory-to-practice gap which currently bedevils the mediation field. Understanding sociological forces reminds us of the constraints within which mediators, as social actors, must work. More importantly, an awareness of these pressures is, conceivably, essential to the development of an autonomous and discernible profession that remains capable of welcoming a diversity of practitioners and their respective approaches. I summarize each of these pressures below …

Philippine Community Mediation, Katarungang Pambarangay, Gill Marvel P. Tabucanon, James A. Wall Jr., Wan Yan

Journal of Dispute Resolution

First, we present a brief overview of the process, followed by a delineation of the history, purpose, operational structure, jurisdiction, venue, procedure, and time frame for this mediation approach. Finally, we report on interviews we conducted with mediators who have served on these panels. Their accounts reveal intriguing details as to how the mediation process unfolds and the benefits of this dispute resolution process. Our goals in this article are threefold: (1) to describe this grassroots mediation approach; (2) to expand our knowledge about mediation; and (3) to reflect on the advantages of this approach so as to improve mediation …

Thoughts About Spiritual Fatigue: Sustaining Our Energy By Staying Centered, Wayne D. Brazil

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Spiritual fatigue can afflict seasoned mediators and judges who have hosted many settlement conferences.' It can sap the energy we need to do our work well. It can reduce our patience, shorten our anger fuses, and impair our ability to listen to and to connect with the people we are trying to help. Worse, it can lead us into procedural or ethical temptation-inviting us to cut comers and compromise values we hold dear. If it persists too long, it can drive us away from this field. Thus, for those of us who experience it, spiritual fatigue can pose a serious …

Mediation, Improvisations, And All That Jazz, John W. Cooley

Journal of Dispute Resolution

In the present article, we will be exploring the subject of improvisation generally from the perspective of mediation and jazz as performance arts; the roles of the jazz musician, the mediator, and the mediation advocate as creative problem solvers; the elements of jazz in mediation; and the collective conversation in jazz as compared with the collective conversation in mediation.

Sacrificing Settlement Agreements In The Name Of Mediation Confidentiality: The California Supreme Court's Narrow Holding Has Harsh Consequence, Laura J. Bettenhausen

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Confidentiality is regarded as one of the primary benefits of mediation. For parties who wish to avoid the public eye, mediation is often preferable to court. However, when parties reach some form of a settlement agreement during mediation, and subsequently disagree as to the terms of that agreement, the parties may find themselves in court. In court, the issue of whether the settlement agreement is admissible arises. In Fair v. Bakhtiari, the California Supreme Court addressed the question of whether an arbitration provision listed in a settlement agreement renders the agreement admissible under the California Evidence Code. The court emphasized …

Mediator As Cook: Mediation Metaphors At The Movies, The, Jennifer L. Schulz

Journal of Dispute Resolution

In this article I will explore the vitality of the metaphor of the mediator as cook by tracing it through other food and conflict resolution related films. In so doing, I hope to achieve two things: first, to continue to insist that non-adversarial processes like mediation be included in the study of Law & Film, and second, to show that the metaphor suggested for mediators based on one film, resonates in other films and suggests new insights about mediator style and practice. Through a Law & Film analysis of two films, Soul Food and Mostly Martha, I will argue that …

Following The Script: An Empirical Analysis Of Court-Ordered Mediation Of Medical Malpractice Cases, Ralph Peeples, Catherine Harris, Thomas Metzloff

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Court-ordered mediation of civil cases has become an accepted part of the litigation process in a number of states and in some federal courts.' The widespread growth of court-ordered mediation is not difficult to explain. First of all, the process appears to produce settlements, although because most cases settle anyway, it is difficult to say that court-ordered mediation reduces trial rates. It does, however, at least provide a structured opportunity for settlement discussions, if the parties are so inclined. Second, court-ordered mediation is a process usually paid for by the parties themselves. From the courts' perspective, it is not a …

When Lawyers Move Their Lips: Attorney Truthfulness In Mediation And A Modest Proposal, Don Peters

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article examines whether the punch line that you can tell when lawyers are lying by confirming that their lips are moving applies to their conduct when negotiating in mediations. General surveys of lawyer honesty suggest that this perception probably does apply to the way lawyers negotiate in mediations. Only 20% of people surveyed in a 1993 American Bar Association poll described the legal profession as honest, and that number fell to 14% in a 1998 Gallup poll.' A more recent poll revealed that one-third of the American public believes that lawyers are less truthful than most people.

Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbor: Rluipa And The Mediation Of Religious Land Use Disputes, Jeffrey H. Goldfien

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The question addressed in this article is whether existing systems for processing religious land use claims are well-suited to the task. The conclusion is that they are not, and that local officials and others involved in religious land use disputes ought to consider employing mediation at an early stage. The main virtue of mediation in this context is the opportunity it provides for disputants to meet face-to-face in an effort to understand the views of others, even if they do not agree with them. Facilitated dialogues among persons with differing perspectives is precisely what is missing from the traditional systems …

Resolving Conflict Together: The Understanding-Based Model Of Mediation, Gary Friedman, Jack Himmelstein

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The following excerpt is from a book in progress-tentatively titled, Resolving Conflict Together: The Understanding-Based Model of Mediation-that is planned to be published in 2007 by the American Bar Association. In this book, we seek to set out the approach to mediation that we have been developing through our work with the Center for Mediation in Law (the Center). We have termed this approach the "Understanding-Based Model" of mediation. The book develops twelve mediation cases, in which Gary served as mediator and which, with commentary, serve to transmit our approach to mediation. Each case focuses on a different aspect of …

After Basic Mindfulness Mediation: External Mindfulness, Emotional Truthfulness, And Lie Detection In Dispute Resolution, Clark Freshman

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Some years ago, our mutual friend, Carrie Menkel-Meadow, suggested Len Riskin and I talk about our shared interest in mindfulness meditation and negotiation. At the time, I had students sit quietly, eyes closed, get in touch with what was going on before a negotiation, write it out, and then crumple up the paper. It was a primitive form of meditation and journaling and, as I look back through research, not a very sound theoretical or empirically-supported way to help.' Eventually, mindfulness meditation and practices helped move me from my very primitive attempts at mindfulness to a very rich practice that …

State Legislative Update, Melissa Blair, Michael Benton, Jessica Gunder, David Lefevre

Journal of Dispute Resolution

As of December 1, 2006, twenty-eight states have enacted some type of right to cure legislation. On April, 28, 2006, Georgia, one of the twenty-eight, amended its construction defect dispute resolution procedures to clarify the responsibilities of the parties. Pennsylvania attempted to become the twenty-ninth, the bill having passed both houses of the legislature, but the Governor vetoed the bill on March 17. Right to cure legislation was considered in South Dakota, but it was deferred to the 36th Legislative Day on February 8, 2006.

Mediator As Peacemaker: The Case For Activist Transformative-Narrative Mediation, Christopher Harper

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article proposes an approach to mediation encompassing aspects of both of these takes on mediation, something one might loosely think of as "activist transformative-narrative mediation." Essentially, this approach assumes the aspirations and ideology of Professor Gunning's "activist" take on transformative mediation and achieves those aspirations using techniques from narrative mediation. By employing this approach, mediators can actively assist parties to identify and achieve reconciliation, peace, and justice.

How Can A Mediator Be Both Impartial And Fair: Why Ethical Standards Of Conduct Create Chaos For Mediators, Susan Nauss Exon

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article focuses on newly developing Standards designed to regulate the mediation industry with respect to civil disputes. The particular focus is on the mediator's requirements of neutrality and impartiality and whether these requirements are impacted by assurances of a fair result and other fairness concepts such as a balanced process and informed decision making. The basic problem is that mediators are guided by Standards and stand-alone definitions of mediation, yet many Standards contain contradictory or vague provisions. Furthermore, the mediator's actual role may be dictated by her own personal style, values, and commercial needs in conjunction with the parties' …