Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County

Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process in which one or two neutral mediator(s) help two or more people find win-win solutions to their conflict. The Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County (CRCMC) uses professionally trained volunteers who represent the diversity of the county we serve. These community mediators guide the participants through a process that helps them to communicate with one another, identify their issues, generate their own solutions, and if possible, reach agreements that satisfy everyone's needs. On average, two out of three mediations end up in an agreement.

CRCMC typically holds mediations in county buildings such as government offices, regional service centers, community centers, and recreational centers that are convenient to the participants. A mediation session lasts about two hours and, in some cases, additional sessions are scheduled.

CRCMC provides mediation free of charge to Montgomery County residents.
In a typical mediation session participants will:

1. review the mediation process with the mediators,
2. describe what brought them to mediation,
3. identify topics that need to be addressed or resolved,
4. use a problem solving process to create mutually agreeable solutions
   
5. develop a written or verbal agreement.

CRCMC mediates a wide variety of conflicts, including neighbor-to-neighbor, employer-employee, business-client, family members, parenting plans, parent-teen, small claims, roommates-housemates, and friendships in trouble.

Sample Mediation Cases

1. Noise upstairs: Apartment upstairs had no carpeting. Small child rode tricycle back and forth on bare floors annoying tenant below. Through mediation, each side understood the other person’s interests. A time was set for riding the tricycle if weather did not permit riding outside.

2. Homeowner disgruntled with construction company: Kitchen floor not done to owner’s satisfaction. The construction company agreed to come in and make necessary changes at no extra cost.

3. Friendship in trouble: Friends planed to take trip together. Friend #1 charged fees for both on her credit card. Friend #2 decided not to go and wouldn’t reimburse friend #1. A mediated agreement resulted with both friends agreeing to write to credit card company to get charge removed and agreed on things they could do to repair their friendship.

4. Neighbor-to-neighbor: Connected townhouses. Neighbor #1 had an estate sale two weekends in a row. Customers parked on lawn of neighbor #2 and walked through her flowerbed. Neighbors were yelling at each other and threatening lawsuits. Mediation gave them a forum for hearing each other out and being able to identify their interests. Neighbor #2 learned information about her neighbor's background that encouraged her to be more understanding. Apologies were exchanged and neighbor #1 promised not to hold any more estate sales.

5. Interfamily dispute: Young adult child, living with boyfriend elsewhere, returned home to live with her parents. She wanted to have the same freedoms she had when she lived away. There were young siblings in the house and the family was in turmoil. All family members had a chance to talk about how the situation affected them. The parents and adult child were able to agree on some of the rules to live by.

6. Homeowner vs. Inspection Company: New homeowner purchased a home based on a clean inspection report. Within months of owning home, the roof leaked and needed repair. A mediated discussion led to an agreement to return the fee for the inspection and to pay a percentage of the roof repair.

7. Car maintenance: Young man worked on his car in the street in front of houses, revving the engine and making a lot of noise. Neighbors wanted him to go somewhere else. During a mediated discussion with the young man and the immediate neighbors, everyone agreed that it was against the law to repair cars on public property. During a problem solving session, the young man learned that he could use the auto bay at his high school down the street, as long as he made an appointment.

8. New neighbors are different: New neighbors moved in. They didn’t speak English very well and didn’t seem friendly. Old neighbors didn’t trust them and wanted them to move away. Using an interpreter during the mediation, both sides heard about the difficulty of moving to a new neighborhood where everything seemed strange. The neighbors have decided to hold a potluck dinner to introduce their new neighbors and to try and smooth things out.