Author Archives: abfifer

Southern Baptist Leader’s Apology Falls Short

May 14, 2018 – 11:37 am

Dr. Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and influential leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, has been in the news lately for his views on biblical commands for wives who are victims of domestic violence, and other comments he has made about women over the last twenty years. Last […]

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Mediated Agreement Fails When Condition Precedent Fails

May 10, 2018 – 12:27 pm

In Hernandez v State Automobile, issued last month by the Michigan Court of Appeals, Plaintiff sued her automobile insurance company to get past and future personal-injury benefits. Following a couple of mediation sessions, the parties reached an agreement via emails with the mediator. It included the proviso that the agreement was contingent on the approval […]

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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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