What does "mediation" involve in civil disputes?

Mediation involves a neutral third party who assists the disputing parties in reaching a resolution to their conflict. This process is typically voluntary and aims to promote communication, understanding, and collaboration between the parties. The mediator does not make decisions for the parties but instead helps facilitate discussions to enable the parties to find common ground and come to a mutually agreeable solution. Mediation can be a beneficial alternative to more adversarial processes, as it often leads to quicker resolutions and allows parties to maintain more control over the outcome of their dispute.

In contrast, the other options describe methods of resolving disputes that do not involve the collaborative and facilitative nature of mediation. Formal court proceedings and summary judgments involve judges making authoritative decisions based on legal arguments and evidence, while negotiations between attorneys without a third party do not utilize the mediation process and may lack the structure and support that a mediator provides.