The Courier of Montgomery County reports that the Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County has been helping local citizens mediate their complex issues for over 30 years.
Located across from the courthouse, Executive Director Elaine Roberts says the nonprofit organization assists more than 4,000 people annually with their disputes.
Ms. Roberts says that because courts were so overwhelmed with cases back in the 80’s, state legislation came along with a way to let people solve their issues promptly and calmly. She said the legislation permitted each county to initiate a dispute resolution center.
The Resolution Center of Montgomery County came into being by way of a partnership involving the Montgomery County Bar Association and the Montgomery County Commissioners’ Court.
Working outside of the courtroom, the center offers impartial, trained mediators to solve disputes by looking at the basic issues of the dispute, looking at different ways to settle the conflict and coming up with a solution that meets the approval of the parties involved.
The center’s volunteers offer training, as well as participate in outreach programs for youth.
If an agreement is reached between the parties, they will draft a settlement agreement that can be sent to court as an agreement that is enforceable.
