Since July 2002, the General District Court for York County and Poquoson has made available mediation services for civil and small claims cases. Mediation is a problem solving process facilitated by a neutral, third party. Mediation is confidential and offered at no cost to either party. A mediator certified by the Virginia Supreme Court works with you to help you arrive at a solution that is acceptable to both parties. 

Mediation is a positive way of resolving a dispute. It works especially well when the parties involved have had a relationship and/or will continue to have ongoing contact with each. Perhaps you are family members, neighbors, business associates, or a consumer and a merchant or a tenant and a landlord. Mediation offers you the opportunity to actively participate in the resolution of the issue. Frequently neither party is truly satisfied with court imposed decisions because of the limitations of the law. When you work together, you have more options to choose from to solve the problem. There is almost never only one solution to any problem. Mediation helps both parties explore all the options.

You can meet with the contract mediator onsite on your court date and possibly resolve things the same day. If you are able to reach a partial agreement, the court will still hear the unresolved issues. And even if you are unable to reach agreement, you will most likely have a better understanding of the issues before the case goes to trial than you do now.
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION . . .