Common Pleas Court Mediation
Michael E. Hyrne, Mediator
Michael Hyrne has served as a Mediator for the Wood County Court of Common Pleas for 15 years. Following admission to the bar, he worked as a law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He was then engaged in private practice for 25 years. He was an Instructor at the University of Toledo for 17 years.
In 2003, he was selected to create this Court’s Dispute Resolution and Mediation Program. Mr. Hyrne has mediated legal disputes in the context of personal injury, contract, professional liability, worker compensation, business, residential and commercial construction, real estate, probate/estate, child custody, divorce, insurance coverage and other matters.
In addition to his duties as mediator, Mr. Hyrne was appointed as a Magistrate in 2008. Mr. Hyrne places an emphasis on assisting the parties to consider resolutions which allow them to determine the course of their family’s future.
Mr. Hyrne is a member of the Ohio State, Wood County and Toledo Bar Associations and a Practitioner member of the Association for Conflict Resolution. He has participated as a presenter for the Ohio Judicial College.
Contact Information
Wood County Common Pleas Court Mediation Office
1 Courthouse Square
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Tel. (419) 354-9684
Fax (419) 354-0331
Mediation
Pursuant to local rule, the Wood County Court of Common Pleas may, at any time, refer any civil action (for example: breach of contract, personal injury, product liability, workers’ compensation, consumer disputes), or any disputed issue, to mediation. The Court may also refer a case to mediation at the request of one or more parties.
Mediation is a way for parties to resolve their disputes with the assistance of a neutral third party whose role is to assist the parties in reaching an agreement on disputed matters by identifying unresolved issues, exploring options and facilitating communication between the parties. Attorneys for the parties also participate in the mediation conferences. A mediated resolution allows the parties to avoid the uncertainty and expense of a contested court proceeding.
Mediations are conducted as provided for in Chapter 2710 of the Ohio Revised Code (Uniform Mediation Act). With some exceptions, mediation communications are privileged and cannot be disclosed in court proceedings unless all parties agree. Mediation communications may be discussed with third parties outside the court. If the parties want to be sure that no one reveals mediation communications outside the court setting, the parties may choose to enter into a confidentially agreement before mediation.
The role of the mediator is different than that of the Judge. The mediator does not receive evidence and issue decisions. Rather, the mediator is a neutral person who works with the parties and their attorneys to facilitate agreements and settlements.
Parties to a case and their legal counsel are required to attend the mediation in order to engage in the process of resolving the issues giving rise to the filing of the action. Participants in mediation sessions have often indicated their satisfaction with a resolution reached with reduced cost, and in an expedited manner.
