Mediation & Reference
Scheffee Law provides private mediation and reference services to people (with or without attorneys) who wish to find solutions to conflicts relating to parental rights (contact, residence, support and decision making for minor children), financial matters such as property division and spousal support, and comprehensive divorce settlements. Mediation is often less costly and time-consuming than going to court.
-Mediation is a facilitated form of conflict resolution in which an impartial third person, called a “neutral,” helps disagreeing parties reach a resolution. It often is used to resolve conflict between two or more parties as an alternative to appearing in court. In Maine, all family law litigants are required to mediate before the parties can appear in court at any contested hearing.’
-Reference is a process where the court, with agreement of the parties, can appoint a third-party professional to conduct a private session or sessions to make a binding decision in their family law case. Referees can conduct formal hearings with witnesses, evidence, and court-reporting or they can conduct mediation-style sessions to guide the parties toward a collaborative decision. References often shorten the time it takes for a case to be heard and resolved.
As a Mediator:
Attorney Liz Scheffee guides individuals and/or organizations through a dispassionate discussion of the conflict at hand and works with the parties and their attorneys to find mutually agreeable solutions. Liz has meditated many cases throughout her career and is experienced in finding solutions to even the most complex disputes. As a mediator, she often helps people who want to resolve disputes in a constructive, positive environment without going to court. Liz does not specifically represent either party in mediation — her job is to move the discussion forward toward a compromise.
Liz is a member of the Maine Association of Mediators
Liz is happy to help mediation clients with the drafting of agreements and other documents necessary to finalize their case.
As a Referee:
Liz has more than three decades of experience in the family law field and uses her knowledge and experience to provide a professional resolution to a case. Whether parties wish to have a formal hearing process or a mediation-style reference, Liz believes in providing timely dates and decisions to meet court deadlines as well as making the best decisions possible, including guiding parties to reach as many of their own agreements as they can.
As a family lawyer:
Liz can help a client prepare for a mediation or reference and recommend skilled private third-party neutrals in the event it is more efficient and convenient than the court process.

To contact Scheffee Law for family law assistance

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Location
ELIZABETH J. SCHEFFEE, ESQ.
7 ESTATE DRIVE GORHAM, ME 04038