Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center offers online mediation

• By Margaret Blohm For MediaNews Group

• Mar 19, 2020

While it’s not business as usual for most individuals and organizations during the COVID-19 crisis, Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center (WCDRC), provides a helpful, online alternative to people who are eager to resolve disputes.

Through MI-Resolve individuals can resolve disputes online via videoconference with the help of a specially trained mediator to help parties identify a solution that works best for them.

MI-Resolve, supported by the Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office, was first introduced in 2019 and provides a free, quick and easy means of resolving disputes that are typically filed as a small claims or landlord/tenant case in the district court.

As an example of how MI-Resolve works, a mother and son were able to repair their broken relationship in a landlord/tenant dispute. The son had been living with his mom and after she filed an eviction on him, it was placed on his credit report. Through mediation, she shared that her intent was not to cause him financial hardship but to help him grow up and move out on this own. Both realized there were things they would need to do in order to remove the eviction and help him find a place to live. Working together with a mediator, they were able to mend their relationship.

“Being able to offer people an online means of resolving disputes is especially helpful during this critical time,” said Siham Awada Jaafar, president of WCDRC board of directors. “In keeping with recommendations by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), our staff is working remotely. We’ve currently postponed in-person programs and services until further notice.”

To learn about MI-Resolve eligibility requirements and the types of disputes that are most easily resolved online, visit wcdrc.org/mi-resolve-online-mediations.

Serving all of Wayne County, WCDRC is headquartered in Dearborn and provides mediation services for a wide variety of domestic, general civil and school conflict issues in Wayne County. For more information, visit www.wcdrc.org or call 313-561-3500 or email info@wcdrc.org.