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Mediation can be a cost effective alternative to litigation (no court involvement) where parties have more control over the terms of their agreement, the opportunity to talk through issues, and the possibility of maintaining healthy relationships with each other. Current and past clients include: neighborhood groups, local governments, community groups, corporations, churches, small businesses, youth programs, primary and secondary schools, families, roommates, co-parents, and more

We will gladly provide a consultation with you at no cost and provide general information.

Services for individuals and families begin at $150/hour

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Distribution of Property (Divorce) begins at $200/hour

Services for businesses and corporations begin at $250/hour

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If these fees will prevent you from getting the help you need, please reach out to us and let's talk.

In Virginia, court-referred mediation is a process where a mediator helps parties in a dispute reach a mutually agreeable resolution without a court hearing. The parties can opt to attend a mediation instead of having their dispute heard before a judge. If the parties reach an agreement, that agreement can be submitted to the court and becomes a legally binding order. If no agreement is reached, the case proceeds to a hearing before a judge as if mediation never happened. Court-referred mediation is paid for by the court, regardless if a resolution is reached, and is therefore free to both parties through The Bridge Institute.

How It Works:

• Referral: The court may refer cases to mediation or parties can request it after filing in either general district court, small claims, or juvenile and domestic relations (family) court.

• Mediation Session: A trained mediator assists parties in discussing their case, identifying issues, and exploring possible solutions.

• Agreement: If an agreement is reached, it is usually documented and signed by both parties and the mediator.

• Enforcement: The agreement can then be taken back to court, where it can be made into a court order.

• No agreement: If parties cannot reach an agreement, the case may proceed to trial as if mediation never occurred.

Benefits of Court-Referred Mediation:

• Control over the outcome: Parties have more control over the terms of the settlement.

• Flexibility and creativity: Parties can explore a wider range of solutions than may be possible in court.

• Potential for a better outcome: Mediation can lead to a more satisfactory resolution for both parties.

• Preservation of relationships: Mediation can be particularly helpful when parties have an ongoing relationship.

Types of Court Cases that Can be Referred:

Cases that come from general district court, small claims, as well as juvenile and domestic relations (family) court can be referred to The Bridge Institute.

For more information call 540-552-1200 or email casemanager@bridgeinstitute.org.

Community and interpersonal conflict is a significant and expensive public health, safety and neighborhood issue. When disputes between neighbors, family, friends, business partners or other community members happen, police can be called. Sometimes the issues do not lead to any arrests, tickets or charges which can make it feel like the conflict isn’t fixed. Sometimes the same conflict can happen over and over again leading to tensions between people remaining high. This program works with police offices to refer individuals in Southern Virginia to free mediation, conflict coaching and conciliation to find a meaningful solution for all people involved.

How the Police are Involved in the Mediation Process

Police and law enforcement offices provide a referral to this program after responding to a call and determining the case is a good fit for mediation. Police and law enforcement officers are not present for the mediation or other conflict resolutions services.

“If I don’t want to do mediation, will I get in trouble with the police?”

The Police Referred Mediation program is a voluntary program, meaning you have to agree to participate in the process. There should be no penalty for choosing not to participate in a mediation process.

“Is this going to cost me any money?”

All cases referred to this program by police or law enforcement agencies or from people self-referring to this program after making contact with police will be able to access these services free of charge.

“How do I access this program?”

There are a couple ways you can access this program. You can:

• Be referred to the program by a local law enforcement or police department.

• Self refer to this program after making a call to a law enforcement agency using this referral link.

• Calling 540-552-1200 or emailing prm@bridgeinstitute.org

If you are in an emergency situation, please dial 911 or your local law enforcement agency. This program is not a substitute for emergency or crisis-intervention services.

For more information or to inquire about partnering with the police referred mediation program please call 540-552-1200 or email prm@bridgeinstitute.org

This project is supported by Grant No. 15PBJA-24-GG-00236-BRND awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime and the SMART Office.

Points of view or opinions on this site are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Partners include Virginia Tech’s Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention and participating law enforcement agencies. This is an equal opportunity (EO) project that does not discriminate on the basis of disability or any other protected class of person. EO complaints please contact info@resolutionvirginia.org or director@nvms.us.