Lawsuits happen. In fact, they are a major part of life in America. When people disagree on something legally or financially, they will typically head to the courts to seek a resolution. There are in excess of 60 million lawsuits filed every single year in the United States. That is one lawsuit per every 6 people living in the country. That is by far the most in the world.
Why does the United State have so many lawsuits? Basically, it comes down to regulations and misunderstandings. There are regulations preventing people from handling legal or financial matters in almost any other way than through the court system. If you step foot on the person’s property to whom you are having a disagreement, this could open up all types of other legal actions. It’s best to see them in court where it is a controlled and monitored environment. This is the thinking of course.
But, every lawsuit doesn’t need to be fought out in court, wasting many hours and thousands of dollars. There is an alternative. Maria, a mediation attorney in Melbourne, Florida said the following: “We generally see a majority of claims and disputes solved in mediation. At the end of the day, people just need a legal environment to air their grievances and ask for a settlement. Mediation offers this.”
Mediation is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than a courtroom battle. In court, an attorney may charge $400-$1000 per hour for their time. That means any time they put into the case outside of court as well. Mediation isn’t nearly that expensive. Usually you can hire a mediator for between $250-$400 per hour. Mediation usually only takes a few hours to complete. So, in the end you are looking at spending $500-$800 for mediation vs $5,000+ for courtroom litigation.
Potential Benefits of Mediation
- Save a large amount of time
- Save large amounts of money
- Quicker resolution
- Parting ways amicably
- Total confidentiality
- Better control than a court case
As you can see, mediation is the preferable way to handle a legal dispute. Thousands of people are opting to solve their issues via mediation and not a long drawn out court case. Mediation can even be done by Zoom. If we have learned anything as a society in the last four years, it’s that a great deal can be accomplished over the internet using apps like Zoom where you can see people’s faces and hear their voices clearly.
You can find qualified mediators in your area by searching Google or by using websites like FindLaw. Here are some tips for finding the best fit for you:
- Read the reviews
- Look at the photos
- Check out their website
- Check out their Facebook
- Check multiple review services
20 minutes of research will help you narrow down which mediator or mediation service is right for you. Tell your mediator exactly what you want out of this experience and what your expectations are. They should be able to clear up any ambiguities for you.
Remember, the mediator is there to listen to both sides and simply help you come to an agreement. They are not there to take sides with one party or the other.
