If you are not able to reach an agreement through mediation, you can return to court. This means that before you present your case to a judge, you must attempt to reach an agreement in mediation. Volunteer mediators are available at the court house. However, if you want to try to settle your dispute through mediation before filing a claim, you may contact the Neighborhood Justice Center directly. Mediators are neutral third parties who provide a structure and environment that assists communication and helps identify key facts and issues of the parties.
Mediators also help develop options to move towards agreements that are acceptable to both sides.
All Small Claims mediators are trained volunteers from the Neighborhood Justice Center. After you arrive at court, the judge will provide a brief explanation about the Small Claims process and then the Court Clerk will call each case and instruct the contested cases to go with a mediator to a private mediation room near the courtroom. Generally, only the parties named as plaintiff or defendant in the original claim filed with the court may attend the mediation session. Once in the mediation room, both parties may be asked to exchange all information, including documents, photographs and all materials that support their claims. The mediator will then help the parties communicate with each other to work towards a resolution of the claim.