M.D. Ala. LR 16.1

Court Annexed Mediation.

(a) Purpose. This Court has established a program of voluntary mediation to assist

litigants in resolving their disputes prior to trial. The Court stresses that mediation is

completely voluntary and confidential. The Court strictly enforces the confidentiality

of mediation. The Court encourages litigants to consider the salutary benefits of

resolving their dispute at an early stage through voluntary mediation.

(b) Nature of Mediation. Mediation is a process of confidential negotiation through

which parties may often achieve results which could not be obtained through

submission of their case to a jury. Successful mediation saves the substantial time

and expense involved with a trial. Successful mediation allows parties to alleviate the

risk of trial and at the same time permits the parties to play an active role in the final

decision about their case. The mediation process generally involves a joint meeting

with all parties and counsel to discuss the case and each side's position. After this

meeting, the mediator will meet with each side individually for a full discussion of

that side's case. Throughout the process, the goal of the mediator is to assist the

parties in negotiating a settlement. Often the mediator will provide to the parties a

frank, honest opinion about the strengths and weaknesses of their case. Frequently,

an objective viewpoint assists parties in making good decisions about settlement.

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