Mediation involves the participation and intervention of a neutral third party, called a “mediator,” into the dispute to assist the parties in communicating and negotiating a jointly acceptable resolution of issues in conflict. A mediator has no legal authority to force the parties to do anything. Instead, by mutual agreement of the parties, a mediator will meet with the parties confidentially at a neutral location and work to facilitate meaningful discussion and exchange between the parties with the goal of reaching a mutual resolution. The parties’ good-faith participation in the mediation process will narrow and highlight the issues in dispute, improve and clarify communications between the parties, and foster a better working relationship. In the end, mediation aims to create an environment where the parties can resolve their dispute themselves rather than resorting to the expenditure of time and money to have either a judge or jury decide the dispute for them.