Judy Larkins is a conflict resolution specialist serving her Denver, Colorado community since 2002. Judy provides mediation services for divorce & family matters, employment issues, and business matters. She is the Executive Director of Colorado Mediators & Arbitrators LLC. This site is dedicated to the exchange of ideas related to conflict and its effective resolution in all areas of life: work, family, community. She welcomes your feedback on this site!
“We Don’t Have a Justice System; We Have a Legal System”
Submitted by JudyLarkins on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 17:49Classic literature is filled with accounts of court cases gone awry:
- Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak House tells of a deceased wealthy man’s large estate being dwindled down to nothing due to legal fees over several decades of litigating multiple and conflicting wills. The case concludes when the money runs out, leaving the true heirs with only the paper that the Last Will and Testament is written on.
A Broken Family or a Restructured Family?
Submitted by JudyLarkins on Fri, 05/14/2010 - 00:58Must divorce break a family completely, or can a family emerge from a split in a restructured form that is healthy and hopeful? Similar to debt restructure in bankruptcy, restructuring a life can be painful, uncertain, promising, challenging, and ultimately either provide a new framework for a satisfying life OR lead down to a path of destruction. Viability is determined not by the decision to restructure, but by the careful planning and steps taken after the decision has been made.
Mediate, Don’t Litigate?
Submitted by JudyLarkins on Sat, 03/01/2008 - 00:00Mediation is not a magic bullet. However, it yields voluntary agreement more times than not, when facilitated by a skilled practitioner in an appropriate setting. The hardest part of mediation is getting people to the table, as any mediator or mediation organization will attest. Why the resistance?
Court-Ordered Mediation: Effective?
Submitted by JudyLarkins on Sat, 03/31/2007 - 23:00Is mediation effective when court ordered, even if the parties don’t believe in potential benefits? It depends on a number of factors:
Appreciative Inquiry in Parent/Teen Mediations
Submitted by JudyLarkins on Tue, 06/01/2004 - 19:04Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a communication and problem-solving process that attempts to bring all voices to the table in conflict or change situations. With a focus on positives, the process looks for common ground to find solutions and build foundations for better communication.
Download Brochure