Court cases, by their very design, often feel confrontational. Litigation is an adversarial process. Both sides have different perspectives and different goals. They try to work actively against one another. This is why we often refer to these cases as things that you can “win” or “lose,” rather than as cases that have been decided in a certain fashion. The terminology itself underscores what the experience may be like.
If that’s not something you’re interested in, you may like mediation as a different solution. It is often less hostile and less confrontational than going to court. The focus is not the same. Instead, the focus is on the result. To get there, both sides have to be a bit more open to working together.
For instance, perhaps you were injured and you need money to cover your medical bills. The company responsible for your injury admits fault and agrees to help you. The difference is over how much money is appropriate and fair. A court case may be necessary when they deny fault and you need a judge to rule that they were, in fact, at fault. Mediation may help when you are both on the same page as far as where responsibility for the injury lies and you just need to work together to decide how much money will be needed to cover your medical costs.
This is not the only advantage of mediation. It also can cost less and you may reach a resolution sooner. These are all things that you want to consider as you look into your options. Mediation provides a different experience and you may find that it is an easier way to work toward the outcome you desire.