Mediation is simpler than most people expect. You hold a date, we gather the information we need, and on the day of the session, we work with both sides to reach an agreement. Here is what to expect at each step, whether you are a party or an attorney referring a case.
The five steps
Hold a date
Start on the Schedule page. Pick a date that works and name every party and attorney involved. Booking a date does not yet mean the case has been accepted.
Intake and conflict check
Intake names every party and every attorney involved. Both parties must agree to mediate. The office then runs a conflict check against the records of Hankey Law Firm, LLC, our affiliated firm. Every family matter is also screened for domestic violence or safety concerns before anything is confirmed. If a conflict or concern comes up, we will tell you and talk through the options.
Send your documents
Upload briefs, financial records, proposed parenting plans, and any current court orders through the secure link the office sends you. Documents are encrypted and stored with your case only. Only office staff can open them, and they are never published on the website.
Confirmation
Once the conflict check is clear, the office confirms the session. Both sides receive a confirmation email and a calendar invite with the date, time, location, and Zoom details if anyone is attending remotely.
The session
A half-day session is three hours. A full-day session is six hours. Current rates are listed on the Fees page. Sessions are held at our office at 409 2nd Avenue SW in Cullman, by Zoom, or a mix of both. If the parties reach an agreement, it is written and signed that day.
What happens on mediation day
You stay in your own room. The parties do not sit in the same room. Each side has its own space, and we can keep you separate for the entire session, from arrival to signing. If you attend by Zoom, you will be placed in your own private breakout room.
The mediator meets with each side. The mediator moves back and forth between the rooms. In private meetings, you can speak openly about what matters to you and what you could live with. Anything you share privately stays with the mediator unless you say it can be shared.
Options are worked through, one issue at a time. The mediator helps each side understand the issues, test ideas, and consider proposals from the other side. Your attorney, if you have one, can advise you throughout.
The agreement is written before you leave. If you reach an agreement, the terms are written down that day. Each party, and each party’s attorney if present, reviews and signs it.
Everything stays confidential. Under Alabama’s mediation rules, what is said in a mediation session cannot be disclosed in court, and the mediator cannot be compelled to testify. If the case does not settle, nothing from the settlement discussions is admissible as evidence.
What to bring: a photo ID, the documents that relate to your issues, any current court orders, and for custody matters, school and activity calendars and any proposed parenting schedule. If you are attending by Zoom, use a private space with a reliable internet connection.
After mediation
If you reach a full agreement: In most family cases, the signed agreement is submitted to the court to be approved and made part of a court order. The plaintiff, or the plaintiff’s attorney, is responsible for filing the agreement with the court.
If you agree on some issues: That still counts as progress! The issues you resolved can be put in writing, and the remaining issues can go to the court. Narrowing the dispute saves time and money.
If you do not reach an agreement: You are free to go forward in court. The mediator will not tell the judge who was reasonable or what was said, and settlement discussions are not admissible as evidence.
If you need more time: Some cases need more than one session, especially when information is still being gathered. Families can also return later if circumstances change and an order needs to be modified.
Ready to get started?
Whether you are a party or an attorney, the first step is the same: hold a date. If you have questions first, see our FAQ or send a confidential message through this site.
Four Corners Legal Group, PLLC is a mediation practice affiliated with Hankey Law Firm, LLC. Nothing on this site is legal advice or an offer of representation. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.