All mediation through our program is confidential and is court approved for resolving many types of disagreements.  Mediation is successful in many types of disputes including:

• workplace conflict
• small claims
• parenting time, custody and support
• neighborhood issues
• divorce/division of assets
• property and real estate
• consumer/merchant
• business/contract
• landlord/ tenant

Mediation is not appropriate for cases involving domestic violence or criminal matters.

Fees:

Mediation is affordable. Fees can be waived for indigent parties. Please call for more information about our current fee schedule.

Mediators:

Marquette Alger Resolution Service mediators are community members who receive specialized training in conflict resolution techniques and communication skills.  They serve as impartial facilitators who assist disputing parties to resolve their own conflicts.  Mediators do not acts as judges; they do not decide who is right or wrong. 

Marquette Alger Resolution Service has a roster of approximately 32 mediators who volunteer their time to assist parties in resolving their disputes.  The volunteers are representative of diverse backgrounds, professions and interests.

Mediators have 40 hours of mediation training approved by the State Court Administrative Office and a minimum 10-hour internship.  Many mediators have more than 200 hours of mediation experience. Marquette Alger Resolution Service mediators have been providing mediation services since 1992.

Scheduling an appointment:  

Please call 906-226-8600. (Toll Free 1-800-8Resolve) If both parties are willing to participate in mediation, most sessions can be scheduled within two weeks. We currently schedule appointments Monday-Thursday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Plan to allow 2 hours for your initial session. In some instances, additional sessions may be needed. Mediation sessions are held at the MARS office located in the Harlow Park Suites at 715 W. Washington Street, Suite A in Marquette.

Benefits of mediation:

Mediation is flexible: Mediation can be used to discuss creative and individualized solutions. In a mediation session, any issue the parties bring to the table (i.e., individual needs, interpersonal issues, etc.) can be discussed. The source of conflict can be identified and resolved, especially in cases of inaccurate or incomplete information, inappropriate or incompatible goals, ineffective or unacceptable methods for resolving disagreement, and/or antagonistic or other negative feelings. In court, only issues pertaining to legal matters are part of the discussion.

Participants control the outcome: In the mediation process, the people involved in the situation are the ones who create an agreement that works for them. In arbitration or in court, an agreement is imposed by an arbitrator or judge.

Mediation is forward-looking: It focuses on what the issues are now, how they can be resolved, and what can be done to avoid similar problems in the future. In court or in arbitration, the focus is on the past , i.e., who is at fault for the current situation.

Mediation can preserve relationships: When disputants will be interacting with one another in the future, mediation can help to build a framework for future interaction based upon mutual interests and needs rather than adversarial positions. Mediation is a "win/win" rather than a "win/lose" solution. In court, someone wins, someone loses.

Mediation is creative: The final agreement can be virtually anything the parties involved agree to so long as it is not in violation of the law.

Mediation is confidential: The parties can speak openly and directly to each other and to the issues, without the proceedings being a matter of public record.

The mediation process provides a non-threatening, informal procedure as an initial step in resolving conflicts. If a situation is resolved through mediation, it does not need to go any further. If mediation does not resolve the issue, or if the issue is not appropriate for mediation, the parties are free to pursue all of their legal remedies, such as suing in court. In a majority of disputes taken to mediation, however, parties reach an agreement which makes legal action unnecessary.