Join us in congratulating our own John Bircher for his certification by the Dispute Resolution Commission of the North Carolina Judicial Branch as a Certified Mediator! John will be overseeing mediated settlement conferences in all 100 North Carolina Counties.

The North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission was established in October 1995, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-38.2. The Commission is charged primarily with certifying and regulating private mediators who serve the courts of this State. The Commission also recommends policy, rules, and rule revisions relating to dispute resolution in North Carolina’s courts; provides support to court-based mediation programs; certifies mediation training programs; serves as a clearinghouse for information about court-based mediation programs; assists other State agencies interested in or providing dispute resolution services to their constituencies, and publishes a newsletter.

Mediators certified by the Commission are appointed by the courts or selected by the parties to mediate pending cases. When mediation is successful:

• Parties benefit. They have an opportunity to settle their dispute themselves, rather than having a judge or jury decide matters for them. If they can reach an agreement, they control the outcome and avoid the inherent risk of a trial and the possibility of an appeal. Parties may also be saved time, money, and the stress associated with protracted litigation and trial.
• Courts benefit. When cases are resolved and exit the system early, backlogs, delays, and paperwork are reduced. Judges can better allocate their time, turning their attention to civil cases that did not settle in mediation or to criminal matters.
• Taxpayers benefit. Taxpayers are saved the cost of protracted litigation and trials.

Congratulations, John!