Anna Williams is a certified mediator. She has earned a Family Law Designation with the Montana Mediation Association. She has completed advanced curriculum that includes significant qualifying experience. She is a recognized expert in dispute resolution.
Anna Williams offers alternative dispute resolution services in the form of mediation and in the form of the traditional settlement conference. Both mediations and settlement conferences are processes by which the parties engage a third party to help resolve their dispute. In mediation, the third party is called the mediator. In a settlement conference, the third party is called the settlement master or the neutral. In general, mediation and settlement conference proceedings are confidential.
Mediation is a private, confidential, informal process in which an impartial third party, the mediator, helps people resolve their differences. In the mediation process, decision-making authority remains with the parties and the mediator does not have authority to compel a resolution or to render a judgment on any issue. A mediator will encourage the parties and assist them reach their own mutually acceptable settlement by facilitating an exchange of information, helping to clarify issues, ensuring that relevant information is brought forth, and assisting the parties to voluntarily resolve their dispute.
If the mediation process fails and a court case has been filed, then a judge or a jury will decide the outcome. Litigation is expensive, time-consuming and stressful. It is best when parties can voluntarily agree on the best way to resolve their dispute. Anna enjoys helping people come to a resolution of issues on their own terms and outside of court.