MEDIATION

After a mediation agreement has been established between the parties and a Condo Court Mediator, a 5-step process will guide the parties through resolution.

Step 1. Basics, Ground Rules, Confirmation of Understanding.

We will have a preliminary meeting, or you will answer a questionnaire (if done online). In this meeting Condo Court will reiterate the entire mediation process. Further Condo Court will set out some of our expectations for conduct, and establish fair "ground rules".

The purpose of this is to ensure all participants understand the methods Condo Court uses to accomplish our goal. Our goal is to facilitate the parties reaching an agreement, or mutual understanding.

Step 2. Basic Information Gathering.

This is a basic statement of events and issues present by the participants. The purpose is to narrow the issues down, to where possible tangible items. It also helps get a sense of the feelings of the parties and some basic history on previous resolution attempts.

Emphasis is not placed on history, or on blame. The purpose is to understand where the participants are today. Most importantly however is for the participants to have an opportunity to speak and be heard.

Step 3. Issue analysis, Prioritization and Agenda Building.

After both participants can agree on a basic definition of the issues, Condo Court moves to some confidential one on one discussions. Here Condo Court breaks down the specific issues. Condo Court helps establish priorities to the most important and least important items. Condo Court will then try to set a framework for building a resolution agenda based on those priorities.

This process is equal time, but may go back and forth a few times. The purpose is for both parties to see what the issues are in a more detailed and prioritized way. This is important, as a resolution cannot be accomplished unless there is acceptance of the underlining issues.

Step 4. Generate Resolutions.

As the participants each know what is important to the other, it is now time to start to move to resolving. Options for solutions are established, and limits are expressed. Condo Court will help steer this process to a unified solution. This may be done in private sessions or as a group, depending on the nature of the issues, and/or the participants.

Resolutions and the negotiations for solutions need to be done in a framework where both parties see the issues from the other side. Ultimately Condo Court would like to see the participants reach an agreement, in whole, or in part.

Step 5. Agreement and Conclusion

Condo Court will then sit with the group and write out the agreement. This is NOT a judgment, or a statement of blame. This is the mediator drafting what the participants have offered and recommended, and agreed to in our discussions.

Condo Court also tries’s to ensure that the agreement, as written will be executable, and wont stall. It is important that participants feel satisfied with the resolution, and trust that it can be implemented.

For more information on securing the services of a Condo Court Mediator, check out our rates or contact us here.