Whether the parties want to do this in person is up to them. I have office space and conference rooms to accommodate mediations at my office. If the parties would prefer to do the mediations via zoom then I can accommodate that as well. I have found that there is no distinguishable or statistical difference between in person mediations and zoom mediations.
In regards to being in the same room as the other side. In general, when doing a family law case (divorce, child custody, etc.) I have the parties in separate rooms. I have found that in domestic cases, it is far more productive to have the parties in different rooms.
In regards to other legal issues, then I leave it up to the parties to decide. Generally speaking, more can be accomplished when the parties are in the same room and an open dialogue can occur. However, either party can request separate rooms at anytime.
If you ready to schedule a mediation please call us at 801-613-0568.