Shuttle Mediation

Many people believe that when they proceed with their family law matter that court is the only effective way to move forward. This is not true. Though litigation may be an effective way to address your matter, it really depends on the type of matter one is dealing with, as litigation is costly and time consuming. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a process that all parties in any family law matter should consider before bringing any application to court or even after a court process is in progress.

There are different types of ADR ranging from mediation, arbitration to collaborative family law practices. Mediation is an extremely useful process. It is the concept where two parties simply obtain a third-party impartial mediator whom they can meet with or without their lawyers, to assist with settlement discussions. It is a time for open discussion where each party’s voice is heard, with a focus on negotiation and settlement. Sometimes parties may want to conduct negotiations with a mediator’s assistance but are unable to be present in the same room. This is where shuttle mediation can come in.

What is shuttle mediation?

Rather then having all parties sit in the same room together, the parties are separated into different rooms. The mediator then “shuttles” between the rooms and from one party to the other.

Therefore, the parties communicate through the mediator and negotiate without being physically present in front of their ex-spouse or other party. The mediator is an impartial third-party facilitator.

When is shuttle mediation appropriate?

This type of mediation is used when people are unable to resolve their family issues on their own but who still want a faster, less expensive and less contentious way of resolving their family law dispute. The mediation process varies depending on the mediator, the parties and the family law matter at hand.

A party can turn to shuttle mediation if there are concerns with the parties being in the same room. Keeping the parties separate can still facilitate negotiation but not in a confrontational manner. There may be contentious issues involved and the parties may not be able to sit in the same room, therefore this type of mediation provides an option outside the litigation process. Though the mediator can not make a binding decision, shuttle mediation can be used to not only settle an issue but to focus the matter, or even address only a small part of the case.to get it back on track.

How is shuttle mediation conducted at AP Lawyers?

Here at AP Lawyers we are able to facilitate shuttle mediation in various forms.

Mediation has traditionally occurred in an office environment, and we can provide this at AP Lawyers. Each party will have their own separate secure room, while the mediator will go between the party’s rooms.

However, here at AP Lawyers we try to accommodate our clients in any way we are able to. As technology advances in the legal field, at AP Lawyers we use online systems effectively, to make our client’s feel comfortable in this trying time of their life. Therefore, we are able to accommodate shuttle mediation online. This is done by separate chats used by each client, and with the mediator so we are able to facilitate their requests and attempt to come to a resolution.

Mediation is a useful tool to facilitate negotiations and settlement in your family law matter. Feel free to contact our firm at 905 492 7662 or [email protected] to inquire if shuttle mediation is right for you!

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