Mediation Newsroom

New Mediation Program Offered by Athens and Meigs Counties

Residents of Athens and Meigs counties can now turn to a new mediation program as an alternative to going to court to resolve their disputes. The program joins more than 200 other mediation programs at courts across the state, according to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Mediation is a process through which two or more people involved in a conflict voluntarily sit down together with a neutral third person, known as a mediator, who will assist them in working out a solution to their dispute.

“Dispute resolution offers citizens the opportunity to resolve their disputes quickly and economically,” said Jacqueline Hagerott, manager of the Dispute Resolution Section at the Supreme Court. “More than 90 percent of Ohio's counties have at least one mediation program. We are pleased to have Athens and Meigs counties join a growing number of courts who are offering mediation as a viable alternative for dispute resolution.”

The new mediation program in Athens and Meigs counties, which began accepting cases this month, is led by mediation coordinator Martha Camp. The program was initiated with a grant from the Supreme Court.

Any dispute can be mediated, including: neighborhood disputes, family disputes, school disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, disputes involving nonpayment of money, employee/employer disputes, and consumer disputes. Court cases that go to mediation are received by referrals from the judge or magistrate. In many cases, individuals or their attorneys may contact the court directly to schedule mediation. During mediation, the mediator explains the rules and upon agreement to the rules, the parties explain their positions and then offer possible solutions. The parties and mediator discuss the best possible solution and if an agreement is reached, it is put into writing.

The Supreme Court's Dispute Resolution Section works to assist all courts in developing and sustaining high-quality, dispute resolution programs that are accessible to all citizens; continuing to provide high-quality technical assistance and training to court mediation program staff, judges, court personnel and attorneys; and continues to support high-quality, appropriate research about court-connected mediation programs.