QUESTIONS:
(click on link for answer)
NOTE: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions are not intended to be legal counsel or legal advise. Always contact your own attorney for legal advise as to how this information applies to your particular case.
1.) How do I schedule an appointment for mediation and how much does it cost?
2.) What information do I need when scheduling my appointment?
3.) Can I schedule for both side of the mediation?
4.)Should I schedule for more than a two-hour appointment?
5.) Can we go longer than our scheduled appointment?
6.) How long do I
need to schedule to satisfy the Court ordered Mediation?
7.) Can I schedule for more than one session?
8.) What happens if I cancel my mediation appointment?
9.) What should I bring with me to mediation?
10.) Can my attorney attend the mediation with me?
11.) What happens before the mediation session?
12.) Does the mediator take sides in the dispute?
13.) Can mediation involve more than two parties?
14.) What type of issues do you mediate?
ANSWERS:
1.) How do I schedule an appointment for mediation and how much does it cost?
To schedule an appointment pleas call our office at
(319) 363-5606 and speak with the pre-mediation coordinator and provide the
requested information. If we are not able to answer the phone please leave a
message on the answering machine. Please leave your name, phone number and a
good time to return your call and we will get back to you as soon as possible. After speaking with the pre-mediation coordinator, you may download the Personal Data and Information Form by clicking on the link at right.
The cost of a minimum two-hour mediation appointment is $190 per participant ($380 total for two hours). If you choose to schedule for more than the two-hour minimum appointment, each additional hour is available at a reduced rate of $90.00 per hour per participant ($180 total per hour).
2.) What information do I need when scheduling my appointment?
We will need to know
your name, address, phone numbers (cell, home, work); your attorney's name,
phone and fax numbers; the county in which the case has been filed; the case
number (located in the upper right section of your legal documents usually
beginning with CCDM.
3.) Can I schedule
for both side of the mediation?
Yes. You will need to
have the others party's information (see first FAQ). You will also have to have
the other party call into our office and confirm that you have permission to
schedule for both. This can be beneficial in getting appointment times
arranged.
4.) Should I schedule
for more than a two-hour appointment?
Depending on the
issues, Mediation can take one to several sessions. At the beginning of the
first session, we will spend a short amount of time discussing the Mediation
process and discussing which issues you and the other party would like to
resolve first. If you and the other party are communicating, more can be
accomplished with more time. You may also elect to schedule a follow-up
two-hour, or longer, mediation appointment, but the choice is up to you.
By scheduling for a two-hour minimum appointment, there is time for the Court-required preliminaries to be taken care of withsufficient time remaining for substantial mediation. Please note that we provide a reduce rate for additional hours of mediation. (See question 6)
5.) Can we go longer
than our scheduled appointment?
Usually there is an
appointment scheduled immediately following your set appointment. But, if there
is not another appointment after you, you may go longer. The additional time
must be paid in full at the end of the mediation session and will be charged at the reduced rate of $180.00 per hour.
6.) How long do I
need to schedule to satisfy the Court ordered Mediation?
Crilley Mediation's two-hour minimum
appointment includes the explanatory time to satisfy the mandatory part of the mediation and will satisfy the Court order requiring mediation. For mediation to be as effective as possible we schedule appointments for a minimum of 2 hours. To help reduce your cost we reduce the fee for additional hours ($90 per participant) scheduled after the first hour.
7.) Can I schedule
for more than one session?
Yes, this is
encouraged when matters remain unresolved and are usually scheduled following a
previous session.
8.) What happens if I
cancel my mediation appointment?
If you must cancel
your appointment, cancellation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of
your scheduled appointment or you each will forfeit your ½ of the total Mediation
fee.
9.) What should I bring with me to mediation?
Bring with you any
documents, legal pleadings, calculations, prior agreements, drawings,
photographs, appraisals, etc. that would be helpful to illustrate your
position.
10.) Can my attorney
attend the mediation with me?
Yes, but is not
necessary, particularly if you are participating in a regular mediation
session. On the other hand, having attorneys at facilitated settlement sessions
and arbitration may be helpful or necessary. If you do choose to have your
attorney accompany you to mediation, please contact your attorney and they will
advise you in this matter. If your attorney will be accompanying you, please
let us know.
11.) What happens
before the mediation session?
After making an
appointment, you will be sent a letter confirming your appointment. Also sent
with the letter will be a pamphlet about mediation as well as a two-page
Personal information and Data Sheet. You will need to fill it in and return the
Personal Data and Information Sheet to arrive at our office at least three
business days prior to your Mediation session along with a check or exact cash
for your one-half share of the cost for mediation.
12.) Does the mediator take sides in the dispute?
No. The Mediator provides a non-adversarial environment for the participants to work together with the mediator to explore alternative ideas and ways to reach agreement. The mediator is a neutral facilitator working to create a positive atmosphere conducive to settlement for all parties.
13.) Can mediation
involve more than two parties?
back to questions
14.) What type of
issues do you mediate?
- Family law disputes including: property/assets/alimony/support, child custody/visitation property
- Business
- Conveyance disputes ranging from boundary disputes, title disputes, easement agreements, ownership disputes, zoning, nuisances, etc.
- Civil litigation
- Real Estate and Construction
- Probate
- Organizational (i.e. church, workplace, school, office)
back to questions
15.) What is joint custody, joint physical care, legal custody, physical care, post-secondary education, and child support?
Please click on the following link for definitions of these terms as written in the Iowa Code Section 598.1: Click here for definitions.
back to questions
_____________________________________________________
Personal Data &
Information Form
Click here to download a 2-page .PDF file of the Crilley Mediation Personal Data and Information
Form. After downloading, please print the form,
answer the questions and immediately mail or
deliver to:
320 Miller Road
Hiawatha, IA 52233
(If delivering after hours please leave information in the drop box located in our side entrance.)
Or you can scan your completed form and e-mail it to: mec@CrilleyLaw.com
Payment for your appointment needs to be received in our office at least three (3) days before your appointment.
Affidavit of Financial Status
Click here to download a 2-page .PDF file of an Affidavit of Financial Status form.
Stipulation of Assets
Click here to download a 2-page .PDF file of a Stipulation of Assets form.
Organization Profiles
Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa
Association for Conflict Resolution
Mediate.com
