Community Mediation

Community Mediation promotes alternative dispute resolution processes that enable individuals and groups to resolve conflicts without litigation.

Community Mediation/Arbitration helps disputing parties resolve their differences in a legally binding manner without direct court intervention.

• Small-Claims Mediation/Arbitration dramatically reduces costs and fees.
• Commercial Arbitration/Mediation avoids lost productivity due to interpersonal conflicts.
• Intervention Services assists in the assessment and resolution of a dysfunctional situation.

Community members, home­owners, renters, religious and civic organizations, and law-enforcement agencies have all trusted the Center for Dispute Settlement’s mediation and conflict resolution services to address concerns. 

Landlord-Tenant Mediation

If you have a landlord-tenant matter pending in court, we are pleased to offer you an alternative way to resolve this matter.  Virtual or in-person mediation services are now available for housing claims.

Mediations are offered by the Center for Dispute Settlement to assist parties in negotiating alternate solutions for resolving housing claims, in a neutral and confidential setting.  If your claim is resolved in mediation, you may eliminate the need for further court appearances.

Virtual mediations are conducted using Zoom and/or call in, and in-person sessions are available at 9 different locations throughout the 7th Judicial district. 

Restorative Justice

Restorative Justice is a Victim-based Justice System that provides an alternative to the traditional Criminal Justice System. Restorative processes, including Victim/Offender Mediation, have been used by the Center for many years, .

The concept of providing community members with a means to begin the healing process after an incident was, in large part, the motivation that gave birth to The Center in the early 1970’s. The Restorative Justice framework and its processes are cornerstones of the Center’s mission, “To use and promote peaceful dispute resolution processes throughout our communities.”

The processes and specific formats used throughout the Center’s 49 years of providing community healing for individuals and larger groups continue to evolve. Over time individual two-party mediations, along with other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes, have shifted in concept from directive to facilitative to transformative approaches. Larger group community healing processes have also similarly shifted to more empowering approaches. Currently there are various “Circle Work” techniques being utilized for both small interpersonal one-on-one and larger group processes. Regardless of the process used, the concept of providing individuals and larger community groups with opportunities that empower participants to make clearer, more informed decisions, that impact each individually and holistically, remain core to the Center’s mission.