Sample Situations

Many conflictive situations are appropriate for mediation. Below are some examples of the conflicts that can be mediated successfully.

Marriage/Relationship

People may want to work through conflicts in their relationship/marriage with the help of mediators to guide their communication. They can make agreements as to how they will deal with recurring issues, fights, or misunderstandings. If they have decided to end their marriage, they can mediate aspects of their marriage dissolution like their children’s parenting plan and their division of their assets (property) and liabilities.

Parenting Plan

Two parents who are divorced or no longer together if never married realize their children are being negatively impacted by the parents’ ongoing conflict and bad mouthing of each other. They agree to mediation in order to resolve the conflict and make commitments to protect their children from parental arguments and conflicts.

Neighborhood

Parties disputing over a barking dog or their property line have made multiple, repeated calls to police/sheriff to have them control the other party. They may also have called code enforcement and the animal control office. They may have considered taking out anti-harassment orders. They agree to try mediation resolve things and to develop improved communication skills.

Small Claims

Parties in conflicts over payment of bill for car repair, driveway paving, personal loan, car accident, rental deposit are able to work out agreements. Generally these mediations take place after one party has initiated a small claims case. They can happen prior to the court date if the parties contact the DRC to request this service. All contested Small Claims cases in Lower Kittitas County and in Yakima County go through mediation on the initial court date to see if an agreement can be worked out before a trial takes place.

Victim/Offender Mediation

The victims of juvenile crimes and the youths who have committed those crimes them may have the option of meeting together to talk about what happened, how it affected the victim and to make amends. This is different from general mediation in that the parties aren’t “negotiating” over issues. Instead, the victim gets to ask questions, and explain how the crime impacted them. The youth has the chance to explain what happened, what they were thinking and to make personal amends to the victim.

Parent/Youth

Sometimes conflict within families as children grow up can be difficult to manage. Youths typically in middle school and high school and their parent/parents may find mediation a valuable tool to working out expectations, revising family rules, and coming to common understandings of how rules will be enforced.

Senior Citizen

There are many situations that can create conflict in senior citizen’s lives and those of their families. Adult siblings may disagree over the care of a frail and elderly parent. There may be conflict between the seniors and their children over selling the family home or having to move to a new setting like an assisted living facility. Tensions may arise from three generations of a family living together. Conflicts may also arise related to financial and estate matters. These situations can be mediated through the DRC’s Mediation Services for Seniors program.

Employment

Sometimes people in work groups don’t always get along. When the conflict affects their (or others’) ability to do their jobs, the parties can be aided to resolve the problems by mediating the conflict. Since mediation is both voluntary and confidential, the employer’s expectations regarding the involved employees’ participation and desire for a copy of the mediated agreement must be worked out between the employer, employees and DRC in advance of the mediation.