All cases in the municipal court need not be decided by the Judge. The dispute resolution program can help litigants resolve their disputes outside of the courtroom through “Mediation”. Mediation is a free program that allows the parties to take an active part in solving their own dispute.

The municipal court Judge and court staff can refer appropriate cases to mediation. The parties themselves may also request that their dispute be referred to mediation. www.njcourtsonline.com

Benefits of Mediation

• What goes on in mediation is confidential;
• The final agreement can be custom-made to meet the unique needs of the case and the parties;
• The parties establish early, direct communications and understanding about the important issues of each side;
• Trained mediators assist the parties in coming up with more creative solutions not usually found in the traditional courtroom situation; and
• There is no cost to the parties for mediation, it offers a more relaxed and meaningful alternative to the traditional trial process.

Types of Cases to Benefit from Mediation

• The parties may be acquainted with one another or have a continuing relationship;
• There may be communication problems between parties;
• The parties may want to create a solution to meet specific needs or interests;
• The primary barrier of a settlement may be personal or emotional;
• The parties want to settle to avoid a long trial and/or expense of going before a judge;
• The parties want to keep control over the outcome of the case;
• The parties want a more private resolution of their dispute

Please Note

Mediation is limited to municipal court cases involving private citizen complaints. there is no mediation if it: (1) involves personal injury, (2) involves repeated acts of violence between parties; (3) involves clearly demonstrated psychological or emotional disability of a party; (4) involves incidents between parties who are already parties to a Superior Court action between them; (5) involves matters arising under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, or (6) involves a violation of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Code.

In the event that the parties are unable to reach an agreement during mediation, the case will be returned to the Court and then the dispute will be heard before the Judge. See Dispute Resolution Form.

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