Most legal cases are not resolved by trial. The majority of disputes are settled, either directly between the parties, or through some form of alternative dispute resolution. For example, the Snohomish County Superior Court requires that all family law parties must mediate their case with a neutral, third-party mediator before going to trial.
The two most common ways to settle a case are mediation and arbitration.
The Difference Between Mediation and Arbitration
Arbitration and mediation are non-judicial procedures used to resolve legal disputes. The settlement negotiations occur outside the courtroom and do not involve a judge. Since court calendars can be extremely busy, your case may be resolved more quickly and with less expense if mediation or arbitration is successful.
Arbitration can be binding or non-binding. If the arbitrator’s decision is binding, the case is resolved and neither party can return to court or appeal the decision. If the arbitration is non-binding, either side can reject the decision and return to court to have a trial or pursue other legal action.
A successful arbitration or mediation can save time and money and allows the parties to maintain control of settling their disputes. However, not all mediators and arbitrators are created equal.
Gregory L. Davies has been a trained arbitrator and mediator since 1987. He primarily mediates family law cases and has achieved a high success rate. His arbitration experience includes many family law issues such as divorce, custody and visitation, support and maintenance, divisions of property and debts, along with personal injury, construction, and business cases.
Call our offices today at (425) 259-2775 or complete our Contact Form to learn more about how Mr. Davies can help you resolve your case without a trial.
