Trained and skilled neutral mediators help guide the participants as they discuss their concerns and disagreements. The participants develop rules about how they will interact in the future. The rules become their written agreement which they sign.  The agreements are reviewed by the judge and placed in the court file, resulting in a dismissal of the request for a restraining order.

If the parties cannot agree on their own rules for how they will relate (or not), their case goes back for a hearing before the judge.  The judge will listen to the facts from each side and make a ruling in favor of one party or the other. 

Mediated cases result in a better ability to understand, communicate, and relate among participants, creating a better path forward for all. Most agreements result in a lasting peace. Rarely does a mediated case come back to court for further action!

* Some cases are not appropriate for voluntary mediation and some cases cannot be resolved through agreement