Mediation is a procedure where all the parties and their lawyers get together to see if the case can be settled. The mediation is run by an unbiased attorney called a mediator, who usually hosts the meeting. At first, all of the people attending the mediation sit in one room and the attorneys discuss their client's positions. Then the parties break up into separate rooms and the impartial mediator goes back and forth, delivering offers and counter-offers. A good mediator does more than act like a carrier pigeon, and will challenge the attorneys and their clients to realize and discuss the strengths and weaknesses in their case.

In most counties in North Texas, the court will order you to mediate at some point before trial. Some cases go to mediation more than once. Local statistics show that about 85% of injury cases that go to mediation actually settle there or soon thereafter.