The dispute prevention process helps you clearly identify your intentions in a proactive way. It can be part of a mediation with you and at least 1 other person or as part of coaching with just you.

You are probably familiar with mediation that is focused on resolving disputes and often used as an alternative to going to court. What you may not know however is that mediation is a great process to prevent disputes in the first place.

Dispute prevention can save you a great deal of worry and stress. What do they say? “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

Prevention Mediation

Mediation

Dispute prevention mediation allows you to come together to make decisions when you are getting along. It helps you decide now, how you would like to handle things if you don’t agree, to document your intentions for the future, and agree on a path forward.

Prevention Coaching

Dispute prevention coaching allows you to clearly identify your intentions and wishes to be presented to another person. This may be to support a mediation or legal process, used to initiate a negotiation, or to provide context for decisions you have made. 

A dispute prevention process can be used:
  • to opt out of some legal obligations and/or requirements.
  • in good faith, on an interim basis to provide you with breathing room.
  • to support a legal process.
  • to ensure your wishes are known.
A dispute prevention process can be used in many situations, including:
  • before you live together.
  • before you get married.
  • during your marriage if something changes.
  • during estate planning to explain your decisions.
  • when creating your Powers of Attorney to identify your wishes.
  • when blending a family.

It goes without saying that it’s better to stop something from happening than to deal with it after it’s happened.

The dispute prevention process usually entails preparing a Dispute Prevention Document (DPD) which clearly defines your intentions, wishes, and the process to be followed in the event of a dispute. The DPD is in plain language and non-binding (unless you choose to make it binding on your own or as part of a different process).

During this process, the mediator or coach, can help you create a detailed roadmap and level the playing field.

Discussing, agreeing, and documenting your intentions is a wonderful way to take sometimes difficult issues off the table and allow you to focus on the relationship, the job, or just know that your wishes will be followed if you aren’t able to participate in future discussions.