Local Law Blogs

My partner, Dave Austin, recently wrote about the new mediation program which will soon be available in certain District Courts in New Hampshire.  Like Dave, I believe that this new program is a good idea.  As a volunteer mediator for the past two years in Superior Court (Alternative Dispute Resolution), I have come to believe that mediation is, more often than not, the best way to resolve disputes that are in litigation.

In addition to the Superior Court ADR program and the District Court's new mediation program, a new law (effective October 1, 2005) in the divorce arena will give the Court power to order mediation in any parental rights and responsibility case unless there has been a finding of domestic violence.  (Click here to view Parental Rights and Responsibility bill)

Of course, the success of these programs remains to be seen, but mediation gives the parties in a case the opportunity to determine the outcome; to have some control over the result.  Such control is something that leaving the decision to a Master, Judge or Jury does not provide.