We are a litigating society. If we disagree with someone or feel we have been wronged, our first instinct is to run to court, but the court system is overloaded, time-consuming, and expensive. Worst of all, it usually creates one winner… and one loser. So your odds of being happy with the outcome are not good.
You may consider starting with mediation before filing a case in court. Or the judge may suggest mediation to you once the case is filed. Mediation can often be faster and less expensive than a court settlement. It also tends to be a less confrontational way to resolve a disagreement while preserving a relationship.
Statistics show that compliance with mediated agreements is more than 90%, largely because both parties feel they have been heard, and they have created the agreement themselves.
Mediation can be used for virtually any type of disagreement, including landlord-tenant issues, problems between neighbors, contract issues, and more.
MI-Resolve is a new online service from the Michigan Supreme Court’s State Court Administrative Office that provides a free, quick, and easy way of resolving disputes. Through MI-Resolve, parties can resolve their disputes online with or without the help of a mediator. The process involves answering a few questions and then following the online directions. Parties can also arrange to meet in person with a mediator or videoconferencing.
Types of cases:
- Claims alleging that money is owed (small claims and general civil)
- Contract disputes
- Neighborhood disputes
- Landlord/tenant matters (rent owed and repairs, but not eviction proceedings)
NOTE: Parties do not need a lawyer to use this service. Currently, the MI-Resolve system can only accommodate two parties to a dispute.
Individuals do not need to have a case filed in court to use MI-Resolve, but if a case is pending in court, parties can still use this service to try to reach a settlement before a hearing or trial date.
Court Mediation
Small claims or general civil cases — regardless of the dollar amount in dispute — can be mediated. Mediation is often worth a try even in the most difficult or complex legal disputes — by developing your own solutions, you can help restore communication and inspire trust.
Less than 2% of cases filed in Michigan go to trial; the rest are resolved in other ways. So why not use a fair process that can help the parties find a mutually acceptable solution? There is a $25 per party mediation fee for small claims cases, and you’ll find our general civil mediation fees to be affordable. Either party can call us to start the mediation process.
Landlord-Tenant Mediation
Mediation is an effective and efficient way of handling rental disputes. There is a $50 per party mediation fee for landlord-tenant cases. Either party can call us to start the mediation process.
Landlord-tenant disputes can be mediated after the case is filed in the court, but usually this type of mediation is most successful when used prior to court. We have successfully helped tenants and landlords resolve all sorts of issues such as rent, security deposits, pets, parking, noise, occupants, maintenance, neighbors, lease matters, and others.
Community Dispute Mediation
Conflict is part of life. Everyday matters, and relationships can result in disagreements and conflict. If communication has broken down, or if you are at your wits’ end over the conflict, consider mediation. We can mediate almost any kind of dispute, whether it involves family members or neighbors, or a disagreement over money, decisions, or services provided. No matter is too small or too large for mediation, regardless of how long it has been stewing. Either party can start the process, and there is a $50 per party mediation fee for most community dispute mediations.
You can learn more about mediation by downloading our DRC brochure. Or please contact us if you would like to learn about how mediation can help you resolve a dispute of any type.