SLR 8-12.018: Mediation Where Power Imbalance Exists

(1) Where there is a restraining order between the parties, a history of domestic violence or abuse, an extreme imbalance in the power relationship between the parties or other reason to believe that mediation may be inappropriate, a party may contact the assigned mediator to request that the parties meet with the mediator separately. (2) The mediator may arrange separate sessions, require telephonic mediation or terminate mediation at any time if the mediator believes that issues of violence, abuse, threatening behavior, manipulation or power imbalance make further mediation inappropriate. In any telephonic mediation, one or both parties may participate by telephone.