Carolyn and I do a fair bit of mediation at the D.C. Superior Court. She mediates tax, probate and civil matters. I handle divorce, child protection (neglect and abuse cases), and probate as well. In our court, guardianship for the elderly falls under the Probate Court.

I get a little passionate about some of the cases that I mediate. Actually, mediate isn’t the best term. In the best of circumstances, it’s team building. For example, in child protection cases, helping the parties move — be they the parent or guardian, the Guardian ad Litem (the child’s attorney), social worker(s), or government attorney — to where they are working together to ensure the family is reunified (since most children in these cases have been removed from their homes) and strengthened in the process. [Read more…]