Медіація як альтернативна форма вирішення спорів

Abstract

Медіація в праві — одна з технологій альтернативного врегулювання спорів за участю третьої нейтральної сторони, безпристрасної, не зацікавленої в зазначеному конфлікті сторони — медіатора, який допомагає сторонам відпрацювати визначену угоду зі спору; при цьому сторони повністю контролюють процес прийняття рішення з врегулювання спору і умови його вирішення.

Медиация в праве— одна из технологий альтернативного урегулирования споров с участием третьей нейтральной, беспристрастной, не заинтересованной в данном конфликте стороны — медиатора, который помогает сторонам выработать определенное соглашение по спору; при этом стороны полностью контролируют процесс принятия решения по урегулированию спора и условия его разрешения.

Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement (facilitative mediation). In some cases, mediators may express a view on what might be a fair or reasonable settlement, generally where all the parties agree that the mediator may do so (evaluative mediation). The activity of mediation in itself appeared in very ancient times. Historians presume early cases in Phoenician commerce (but suppose its use in Babylon, too). The practice developed in Ancient Greece (which knew the non-marital mediator as a proxenetas), then in Roman civilization, (Roman law, starting from Justinian‘s Digest of 530- 533 CE) recognized mediation. Mediation has a structure, timetable and dynamics that «ordinary» negotiation lacks. The process is private and confidential. The presence of a mediator is the key distinguishing feature of the process. There may be no obligation to go to mediation, but in some cases, any settlement agreement signed by the parties to a dispute will be binding on them. Mediation can function not only as a tool for dispute resolution but also as a means of dispute prevention. Mediation can be used to facilitate the process of contract negotiation by the identification of mutual interests and the promotion of effective communication between the two parties. One of the hallmarks of mediation is that the process is strictly confidential. The mediator must inform the parties that communications between them during the intake discussions and the mediation process are to be private and confidential. In general, the information discussed can never be used as evidence in the event that the matter does not settle at mediation and proceeds to a court hearing. The parties therefore agree that it’s a condition of being present or participating in the mediation and the document if necessary may be deemed confidential by virtue of the common law. Parties who enter into mediation do not forfeit any legal rights or remedies. If the mediation process does not result in settlement, each side can continue to enforce their rights through appropriate court or tribunal procedures. However, if a settlement has been reached through mediation, legal rights and obligations are affected in differing degrees. Mediation has opened the door for parties in conflict to resolve their differences through non-traditional judicial forums. Over the last few decades, mediation has brought to light the processes, or alternatives to litigation, that enable parties to resolve their differences without the high cost associated with litigation. An interesting remark made by Spencer and Altobelli (2005, p.223): «Court systems are eager to introduce mandatory mediation as a means to meet their needs to reduce case loads and adversarial litigation, and participants who understand the empowerment of mediation to self-determine their own agreements are equally as eager to embrace mediation as an alternative to costly and potentially harmful litigation». Mediation as a process involves a third party (often an impartial third party) assisting two or more persons, («parties» or «stakeholders«) to find mutually-agreeable solutions to difficult problems. People make use of mediation at many different levels and in multiple contexts: from minor disputes to global peace-talks. Mediation differs from most other adversarial resolution processes by virtue of its simplicity, informality, flexibility, and economy. The typical mediation has no formal compulsory elements, although some common elements usually occur: each of the parties allowed to explain and detail their story; the identification of issues (usually facilitated by the mediator); the clarification and detailed specification of respective interests and objectives; the conversion of respective subjective evaluations into more objective values; identification of options; discussion and analysis of the possible effects of various solutions; the adjustment and the refining of the proposed solutions; the memorialization of agreements into a written draft.