What is Mediation?
"The Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit established the Juvenile Mediation Program to offer an informal way for people to come together and talk through their conflict with the help of an impartial third party.  During the mediation, each party has an opportunity to vocalize their issues and concerns surrounding the conflict.  The mediator helps each person evaluate their needs and goals for reaching a solution.  All the decisions are made by the parties, not the mediator.

The mediation session is held in a private conference room located in the courthouse.  All juveniles must be accompanied by their legal guardian.  You can have legal counsel present if you choose, but most people do not bring an attorney to mediation.  The sessions usually last 1-2 hours.

If all issues are settled and an agreement is reached, a formal agreement will be written in the parties own words and each party will sign the agreement.  There may be terms in the agreement to be fulfilled past the date of mediation.  If so, the parties would come under the jurisdiction of the court for a 90-day period.  If an agreement is not reached, your case will be referred back to the Juvenile Court for formal charges."

Mediators
"Mediators are qualified trained adults who use their insight, experience and skill to clarify issues, and help develop solutions.  They are obligated by law to protect the privacy of all participants and cannot testify in court or provide information.  A mediator is trained to be impartial and neutral.  They help juveniles understand and communicate their feelings.  The process focuses on solving the conflict in a lasting and mutually beneficial way."

Growing Pains
"Growing up is a time of learning and a time of change.  Sometimes, young people find themselves involved in the Juvenile Court as a result of a bad decision they made.  Mediation is an alternative to formal court action and allows the juvenile an active role in the outcome of the conflict and encourages them to take responsibility for their actions.  Successful mediation could result in sealing juvenile records, preventing one bad decision from affecting their future.."

Services are provided and admissions/referrals are made without regard to race, color, religious creed, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or national origin. Complaints of discrimination may be filed with the Seventh Administrative District Office.