Kevin* dropped off his boat at a local boat servicing shop for some maintenance work. When he came back, Kevin discovered his boat had damage that did not previously exist. Feeling frustrated after several attempts to contact the shop owner failed, Kevin filed a lawsuit. The small claims case was referred to Child and Family Services Center for Resolution and Justice (CR+J).
CR+J hosted a 50-minute mediation session with Kevin and the shop owner to help them work through their dispute. While discussing the dispute, the two realized that they lived just a few streets over from one another. They joked that they needed to reach a resolution so they would be able to run into one another in the grocery store without any awkwardness.
“Mediation is a powerful tool and, in this situation, represents community-building at its core,” said Karen Carroll, Manager of Family Mediation Services. “We live in a world where conflict divides community. If we can piece it back together one case at a time, we’ll do it.”
The shop owner also described how he wanted to run a business that his neighbors could trust, and he sought ways to strengthen his company’s relationship with clients because doing so would benefit everyone involved. With this in mind, he wanted to make sure things were “made right” with Kevin. In a short amount of time, the two reached agreement that satisfied each of them.
“This solution never would’ve happened in court,” explained Karen. “Mediation allows both parties to come up with a solution on their own terms and find common ground.”
If you are interested in learning more about CR+J’s services, please visit Conflict Resolution Services in Buffalo – Child and Family Services (cfsbny.org).