What We Do
At Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center, we provide highly trained and experienced mediators and facilitators to help resolve conflicts. Our process can open the doors to communication for all parties involved to achieve a peaceful resolution. We also offer State Court approved trainings. Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of people solve problems and restore relationships.
Why Mediation/Facilitation Works
- The decision-making process belongs to you. You decide how to best resolve your dispute. Unlike court, no one judges your problem and tells you what to do. You get to reach an agreement that you can live with.
- Everyone wins. Thousands of cases have been successfully resolved each year to all parties’ satisfaction. In
court, someone wins, someone loses, but the goal of mediation/facilitation is to have all parties arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement.
- It’s affordable. We charge small fees on a sliding scale basis. If a case is resolved, it saves participants the time and money often involved in court proceedings.
- It’s quick. When parties agree to try our process, most disputes can be resolved within two weeks! A typical session last less than two hours, but no time limits are imposed.
- It’s effective. More than half of all mediations/facilitations end in agreement. People are generally more satisfied with coming up with their own outcomes.
- It protects legal remedies. If mediation/facilitation doesn’t result in an agreement, you can still go to court.
- It’s convenient. We can schedule on weekdays, Saturdays and evenings to accommodate your schedule when necessary.
- It’s private. Everything said or used for purposes of reaching a settlement remains confidential and cannot be used against you in court.
- It avoids going to court. Resolving a dispute through mediation or facilitation saves the time, energy, cost, trouble and frustration of preparing and attending potentially endless court proceedings and appeals.
- It maintains relationships. A successful mediation avoids forcing parties into antagonistic positions, and allows existing relationships to be re-established.
How Does the Process Work?
The process begins when disputing parties agree to participate. A Request to Mediate form would be filled out by one or both parties on our website, and sent along to our team. We will then choose the best mediator for your case, reach out to you for approval, and ask you to fill out our Consent to Mediate form to finalize the process.
For more information as to what takes place in mediation itself, see our FAQ link above.
Education and Training
WCDRC offers education and training opportunities for individuals who are interested in becoming a mediator, and to schools interested in conflict resolution and restorative practices. For those interested in upcoming training events, check out our Training pages.
Family Disputes
Wills- Estates & Trusts
- Child & Adult Guardianships
- Divorce
- Parenting Time & Custody
- Child Protection/Protective
Civil Disputes
- Neighbor Issues
- Landlord-Tenant
- Consumer Merchant
- Contract Disputes
School Disputes
- Truancy Prevention
- Special Education
- Peer Mediation
- Restorative Practices