Author Archives: abfifer

April 7, 2018 – 1:04 pm

At least two federal courts have upheld the enforceability of a dispute resolution clause in a Christian school contract requiring employees to resolve their differences “through Christian mediation, and if necessary, arbitration” rather than in court. One case, Easterly v. Heritage Christian Schools, Inc., 2009 WL 2750099 (S.D. Indiana Aug. 26, 2009), was decided several years ago; […]

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Community Mediation Makes the News

March 30, 2018 – 8:28 am

The Detroit News is running a front-page story today about the success of Michigan’s Community Dispute Resolution Program (CDRP), focusing on the Wayne and Macomb mediation centers. The CDRP has survived ups and downs in its thirty years of serving Michigan, and continues strong today. I’ve been involved with it since its inception, and enjoy […]

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Township Officials Apologize

February 2, 2018 – 5:22 pm

It’s not often that government officials apologize for mistakes, but we saw an example this week when Meridian Township officials apologized for mishandling a complaint of sexual assault in 2004. The township, which lies adjacent to East Lansing, is governed by Manager Frank Walsh and a board of trustees, all of whom met yesterday along […]

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Michigan Court of Appeals Publishes Case on Enforceability of Mediated Agreement

January 30, 2018 – 8:42 pm

The Michigan Court of Appeals has issued just its second published opinion on the enforceability of mediation agreements, and it’s another divorce case, Rettig v Rettig, Case No. 338614 (January 23, 2018). (The previous case was Vittiglio v Vittiglio, 297 Mich App 391; 824 NW2d 591 (2012).)  The narrow issue in Rettig concerns whether a trial […]

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Asking for an Apology

January 24, 2018 – 12:27 pm

Every one of the victim impact statements from the women abused by Larry Nassar is powerful. But one especially grabbed my attention, that of Emily Morales, who spoke yesterday. At one point during her statement at the podium in the courtroom, she turned to face Larry Nassar, and said she believed in forgiveness – “we […]

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