===Getting organized===
If The mediator will usually meet with the parties separately before the actual mediation begins. This is being undertaken as an alternative because mediators, like arbitrators, parent coordinators, and other Family Dispute Resolution Professionals, now have a positive duty to litigation rather than screen parties to determine if family violence is present and if it is, to achieve a settlement in ensure that the middle of the litigation mediation process, is safe for all concerned. Mediators also need to refer the mediator victim of family violence to whatever resources may ask everyone to come be available. In addition to an initial meeting in order to <span class="noglossary">assess</span> the dynamic between the partiesscreening for family violence, explain the process of pre-mediation, talk about meeting also gives the exchange of documents, meditator and discuss <span class="noglossary">costs</span>. Some mediators prefer to arrange separate, individual interviews with the parties, while others will ask the parties a chance to get to know each fill out other a questionnairebit, and others will be happy for the parties to discuss with a couple of telephone callsthe mediator any concerns or questions they might have.
Next, the parties and the mediator will agree to a schedule of meetings, the ground rules for these meetings, and the objects or goals of the process. Sometimes the decisions as to ground rules and goals are left to the parties themselves; it is their process, after all, not that of the mediator. If the parties are using lawyers, this step may be left out since ground rules aren't required or because the lawyers will be able to agree on the ground rules between themselves. Whether there are multiple meetings or not depends largely on the parties and the number of issues outstanding. Often a single half- or full-day meeting will produce a settlement.