Resolution….It’s What Really Matters.
North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby declared October 17-23, 2021 “Conflict Resolution Week” in North Carolina. Read Order Here.
Mediation is one conflict resolution method we use A LOT in our office to resolve disputes. When reading Justice Newby’s Order last week, several words and phrases jumped out at me about the benefits of using mediation as a means to settle cases—“foster communication” “salvage relationships” “empower litigants to devise mutually agreeable and durable solutions” and “save parties the expense and stress of litigation.” In my experience, all of this is so true.
Disputes are inevitable in life. How you solve the dispute is what really matters. We practice family law. So, the disputes we encounter in our office are deeply personal and often life changing. They involve private family matters that if aired in a public forum–such as a courtroom–are destined to destroy relationships and have the potential to breed life-long resentment between the parties and their children. Fighting a battle in court is also a lengthy, expensive process. However, not only do parties spend tremendous legal fees fighting a court battle, but they also lose control over the outcome when they go to court. In my experience, parties are far better equipped to resolve their own disputes and tailor a settlement that meets their particular needs than a judge, who doesn’t know the family, the children, and at best will only see a snapshot of the facts.
Mediation can be a powerful tool in resolving disputes, and in the end, resolution is what really matters.
Learn more about mediation here.
