Court Options​

More judges today require that disputants seek Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services before setting their court date. OvalOptions offers ADR services including mediation, arbitration, settlement conferencing and other services that can help people resolve both civil and domestic disputes. We have experienced practitioners that have worked in the court system. They include attorneys who understand the complexities of legal cases, as well as non-attorneys who can help with less complex issues at a lower cost to our clients.

Domestic Mediation

Domestic court cases include divorce, parenting time, child support and other family related issues. Judges prefer when families and co-parents discuss these topics and find a more suitable resolution outside of court. Mediation helps families discuss these issues productively and negotiate toward resolution. In addition to negotiating your court documents, our mediators can help you discuss other topics such as the specifics of parenting time and communications plans that are not within the boundaries of a judge’s interest. Our mediators help you negotiate the best solutions for your needs based on your specific situation.

Civil Mediation

Civil court cases include money disputes, personal loans, landlord/tenant issues, small claims court cases, evictions, real estate disputes and other disagreements. Our mediators can help you negotiate an agreement.

Domestic Arbitration

When someone else needs to make the decision for you, arbitration can help. An arbitration looks much like a mediation where each side is given an opportunity to discuss their needs and interests. In the end, the arbitrator will create the final agreement for you. Arbitration can be either binding or non-binding. If parties agree in the beginning that the arbitration will be non-binding, they will still have the opportunity to continue their dispute in court.

Civil Arbitration

When someone else needs to make the decision for you, arbitration can help. An arbitration looks much like a mediation where each side is given an opportunity to discuss their needs and interests. In the end, the arbitrator will create the final agreement for you. Arbitration can be either binding or non-binding. If parties agree in the beginning that the arbitration will be non-binding, they will still have the opportunity to continue their dispute in court.

Med-Arb (Mediation/Arbitration)

A hybrid model where people work with a neutral person who initially tries to mediate the dispute. If an agreement on all issues is not reached, the facilitator will change hats and become an arbitrator.

Restorative Justice

This process occurs after a crime has been committed and the offender has been through the court process. RJ is about repairing the harm to self, family and community. There are many different RJ models. Each is intended to give the victims a voice, which rarely happens in courtrooms, and allow the offenders to hear the true impact of their actions, explain their perspectives and offer a plan for what they intend to do to repair the harm.