A newlywed husband filed a small claims law suit against a wedding photographer who did not produce satisfactory photos of the couple’s wedding event. No formal pictures were taken, and they still had not accepted any of the candid photos. In mediation, the photographer explained that she had been diagnosed with cancer and had been out of work for an extended period of time. The husband’s initial very steely and icy demeanor shifted dramatically after he heard her story. While sympathetic, he was still demanding a full refund of his deposit ($1,500). The photographer explained that she didn’t have the money and offered to provide the couple with all the candid shots in the entire album for free. The mediator asked the husband what he thought his new wife would want and wondered if he might like to phone her directly. The wife readily accepted the offer as she really wanted some/any photos of their special day. Mediation resolved by mutual agreement and court case dismissed.

With an eviction action pending, a tenant and landlord were both willing to try mediation. The landlord had initiated the eviction proceedings when he discovered a second family had moved into the apartment. In the mediation, the landlord learned the whole story. Most importantly, that the tenant was not trying to deceive him or “pull the wool over his eyes.” The tenant was an immigrant mother and had offered to share her housing with relatives—her cousin’s daughter, son-in-law, and infant—who themselves were facing homelessness. When the landlord realized the situation, he reconsidered his position…and the parties renegotiated a new lease. Mediation outcome: Tenancy preserved and the crisis of homelessness prevented.

A couple in the process of their marital break-up sought mediation at the advice of a friend, to minimize litigation costs and to try to reduce escalating acrimony. They successfully achieved both goals. Through several mediation sessions, they were able to focus on their shared love for their children and establish a cooperative parenting plan. Their mutually acceptable new schedule was a success by preserving their relationships with the kids and re-connecting as co-parents, despite the fracture in their marriage. They agreed to seek counseling together for some behavioral issues with one of the children, which seemed to be related to the pending divorce. They also decided to confer with attorneys about other financial and property matters and will return to mediation. They expressed their newfound confidence to work together, thanks to mediation.