Welcome to Charles N. Castagna Mediation, Inc.

My goal is to help lawyers and their corporate and individual clients, as well as unrepresented parties, resolve their disputes in an informal, confidential and non-adversarial setting. This is the purpose of mediation, and it is my purpose in serving as a mediator.

My mediation style can best be described as proactive, patient and creative. I believe it is very important to be involved in the process, but with the upmost respect for the participants’ absolute right to fully and freely exercise self-determination in attempting to reach agreement.

It is of paramount importance that the mediator’s responsibilities are performed in a neutral and impartial fashion. This is, in my estimation, a hallmark of my mediation practice. I tell participants that if they feel I am not acting in a neutral and impartial fashion, to let me know immediately, because if anyone feels that way something is wrong with the process.

I have been serving as a mediator since 1988 and have seen some remarkable results over the years. Not every case or dispute gets resolved, but most do, and it is an honor and a privilege to participate as a catalyst in that process. Even when cases or disputes do not get resolved at mediation, more often than not, participants leave the process learning something of value. And more often than not, they get the matter resolved without having to go to trial.

There are ethical standards governing the practice of mediation in Florida. These ethical standards are formally called the Florida Rules for Certified and Court Appointed Mediators. These ethical standards can be found at the Dispute Resolution Center website which can be accessed at www.flcourts.org. (Go to ADR Main Page, Rules for Mediators). I hope you will take a look at these rules before attending a mediation so that you can better understand what is ethically required of certified and court-appointed mediators in the State of Florida.

It is my hope that through this web page and the links provided, you will gain a better understanding of the mediation process and the role of the mediator, and therefore become a more informed consumer of the mediation process.


 

Charles N. Castagna is a Charter Member of