I understand that the Housing Court Department offer mediations to resolve cases before it. What is mediation?
Mediation is an informal, confidential process where a neutral person called a mediator acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of a case without prescribing what it should be. In contrast to a judge (or an arbitrator) who decides for the parties how a dispute will be resolved, a mediator (or conciliator) helps the parties reach their own mutually acceptable and voluntary agreement. The role of the mediator may include: assisting the parties in identifying the issues, assessing and reviewing the relative strengths and weaknesses of their case, determining common interests, fostering joint problem-solving, exploring settlement alternatives, and finalizing a settlement agreement. Throughout all Housing Court mediation, the decision-making authority remains with the parties to the case: unless and until an agreement is reached and approved by the judge; or, if no agreement is reached, until one or both parties terminate the mediation process and bring the case to court for determi
