In July 2012, the 19th Judicial Circuit Court began offering mediations every Thursday, excluding holidays, for small claims and eviction cases at no charge to litigants. Self-represented litigants who are in C-306 (Small Claims) or C-307 (Law Magistrate) on Thursdays will be offered the option to mediate their case prior to further court proceedings.

About the Program

This free program was designed to assist litigants with housing, consumer, or other disputes to reach faster and more satisfying dispute resolutions. Studies have demonstrated that litigants who participate in mediation often reach a more satisfactory mutual agreement and spend less time litigating before a judge. The role of the mediator is informal and includes assisting the parties in identifying issues, fostering joint problem solving, and exploring settlement alternatives. So far, the program has been very successful, with an overall 75% success rate.

​Mediators

The mediators are all members of the Lake County Bar Association who volunteer for the mediation program to help serve their community and to assist the Court.

For more information, please contact the Alternative Dispute Resolution Center at 847-377-3700.

​Resources

For more information, view the Small Claims Mediation Program Brochure (PDF).