Mediation and litigation are ways a lawyer can help you resolve conflict. Both are effective, but which dispute resolution option is right for you? Here are considerations that might make a difference in your final choice.

Understanding Litigation & Mediation

Similarities

Lawyers play valuable roles in litigation and mediation. Trial lawyers, or litigators, are skilled advocates who prepare and present cases to juries and judges. Some lawyers, such as divorce mediation attorneys, present their client’s case to a mediator. Other attorneys serve as mediators, who are neutral parties. Mediation attorneys use their negotiation skills in a spirit of compromise to help individuals solve conflicts without trials. 

Litigation Can Be Slow & Expensive

Preparing, filing, and litigating a case costs tens of thousands of dollars, or more. In many trial courts, it takes months before a hearing and more than a year before trial. In divorce and personal injury cases, both parties usually hire lawyers and bear the expense. A judge or jury makes the final decision, and sometimes, neither side is satisfied.

Mediation Offers a Quicker & Less Expensive Solution

Individuals using mediation choose their mediator and schedule the session according to their availability, not the court’s. Mediator rates are typically lower than those of trial attorneys. A mediator does not represent either side, which allows the two parties to split the cost. If the parties hire their own attorneys and a mediator, the cost is still less than litigating the case.

Mediation takes much less time than the trial process. All issues are often resolved in a session lasting one day or less. Lawyers find clients have a higher level of satisfaction with mediation outcomes than with trials because they are actively involved in the process as the decision makers. 

The Law Office of Gregory G. St. John in Waterbury, CT, offers clients effective representation in mediation and litigation. The firm’s mediation services save clients time and money while enabling them to reach satisfying ends to disputes. Family-operated in the New Haven County community for more than 40 years, these divorce mediation lawyers empower you to end conflict well. Learn more about their divorce law work online. For an appointment, call (203) 759-0240.