Law Office of Bethany S. Stephens

Call us for divorce, child custody, child support,

State and Federal criminal defense, mediation services, & more

940-937-4050

Mediation is a procedure in which the parties discuss their disputes with the assistance of a trained impartial third person who assists them in reaching a settlement. It may be an informal meeting among the parties or a scheduled settlement conference. The dispute may either be pending in a court or potentially a dispute which may be filed in court. Cases suitable for mediation are disputes in commercial transactions, personal injury, construction, workers compensation, labor or community relations, divorce, domestic relations, employment or any other matters which do not involve complex procedural or evidentiary issues. Attendance at the mediation conference is voluntary by the parties, except where governed by statute or contract clause or ordered by a Judge.

The mediator is a person with patience, persistence and common sense. She has an arsenal of negotiation techniques, human dynamics skills and powers of effective listening, articulation and restatement. The mediator is a facilitator who has no power to render a resolution to the conflict. The parties will fashion the solution as the mediator moves through the process. In many jurisdictions the mediator is an attorney but cannot give legal advice while in the role of mediator.

Bethany S. Stephens has taken the training necessary to be a mediator, so she can help you resolve your disputes in that role if you'd like.  Mediation is not something that must wait until after a lawsuit has been filed.  Bethany can help mediate church disputes, conflicts with neighbors and family members, community conflicts between government agencies and citizens, and more.