In family law or other civil matters, settlement before trial is often an option. Mediation is one means of achieving settlement before a matter goes to Court. Generally, in mediation, the parties and their attorneys meet with a neutral third party mediator who has general information as to the background of the case and acts as a go-between to negotiate between the parties to reach a settlement.
If mediation is successful and the parties reach an agreement on all pending matters, the agreement may be ordered by the Court without the need for a hearing. Below, find three (3) tips for ... Read More
Tag: mediation process
27
Aug2013
06
Nov2012
In all civil cases (not criminal), Indiana trial courts generally require the parties attend and make a good faith effort at mediating the matter before coming a trial. This is particularly the case where the hearing is expected to take more than two or three hours. Many trial courts have this in their local rules. It is not a denial of constitutional right to access to Indiana courts to first required mediation.
There are several sound policy reasons for this. First, given the sheer volume of cases filed in Indiana’s trial courts each year the courts are overworked, and mediation is ... Read More
15
Dec2011
What They Mean To You, Your Case, and What May Happen
Perhaps everyone who has watched a courtroom drama or live court TV has heard objections during the testimony of a witness. At Ciyou & Dixon, P.C., we believe understanding common objections made during trials (or depositions) will make you a more informed legal consumer and maximize the quality of your trial testimony.
A good place to begin understanding evidence is with drawing a mental distinction between trial testimony and documentary evidence. Testimony is spoken words. For example, an attorney may ask, “Ma’am, please state your name” or “Is your name Sally ... Read More