Mediation Training

Twenty-one International Falls residents, including myself, recently graduated from a 30-hour civil mediation training. These "qualified neutrals" become the base for a new mediation service to be launched. Mediation is one form of alternative dispute resolution and is expected to be used in both court-ordered situations and elsewhere within the community.

Not only does it reduce the backlog of the court when parties choose mediation, but, more importantly, it is of value to the community because it provides an opportunity for relationships to be maintained.

When the judge decides the case in conciliation court, one party "wins" and the other "loses." When a mediator drafts an agreement, it is based on statements agreed to by the parties.

Myrna Meadows, NRS, International Falls