Serving Litigants and their Counsel Since 1981
The Office of the Circuit Mediators provides litigants the opportunity to explore settlement, clarify appellate issues, and address procedural matters.
Most fully counseled civil cases are routinely selected for mediation by the Mediation Office. Mediation may also be scheduled at the request of a party and such requests will be kept confidential pursuant to 6 Cir. R. 33. The Court occasionally refers cases for mediation either before or after oral argument. Conferences are conducted by video, telephone, or in-person at the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse in Cincinnati or at a location agreed to by all parties and the mediator.
Mediation conferences are conducted by experienced attorney-mediators employed by the Court. The office employs four mediators, all located in Cincinnati. The mediators have varied prior experience along with extensive mediation and negotiation training. While each mediator's style may differ, all generally begin by employing a facilitative approach in which they are more likely to try to assist counsel in exploring settlement options, evaluating the merits of appellate issues, and appraising the settlement value of the case, than to urge specific solutions.