An overview of the costs of common types of mediated disputes.

In nearly all cases, mediating is far less expensive than going to court. Actual fees will vary depending on the type of case and who does the mediating. Here are some examples to consider, taken from Nolo's book, Mediate Your Dispute, by Peter Lovenheim.

Neighborhood dispute. Three neighbors are involved in a dispute over disruptive children. Mediation is provided by any of 400 nonprofit community mediation centers in the United States.

Typical length of mediation: full-day

Typical fees per party: $10 filing fee (waived for financial hardship)

Personal injury claim. A passenger in a car suffers leg and spine fractures when the driver hits a telephone pole. The passenger and the driver's insurance company cannot agree on the amount of compensation for these injuries. Mediation is conducted by a private dispute resolution company.

Typical length of mediation: half-day

Typical fees per party: $600

Business contract dispute. A computer parts company sues Big Computer, Inc., for $5 million when Big C rejects parts which allegedly conform to a valid contract. Just before the trial is to begin, the parties decide to try mediation. Mediation is provided by private dispute resolution company.

Typical length of mediation: Four days.

Typical fees per party: $8,000.

Divorce mediation. A divorcing couple with a house, two cars, bank accounts, pension plans and three children who are minors are trying to reach an agreement out of court as to the division of their property and the custody and visitation of their children. Mediation is provided by an independent divorce mediator in private practice.

Typical length of mediation: Six two-hour sessions over two months, plus five hours to prepare a written agreement.

Typical cost for couple: $2,215 (split 50-50)

In considering what type of mediator to use, consider that many cities have community mediation centers which do an excellent job of handling most types of routine disputes (consumer problems, neighbor disputes, landlord tenant fights). For more complicated disputes (business termination, personal injury, breach of contract) it is often better to turn to a private mediation center. Several national organizations (JAMS and End Dispute) and a number of regional groups do a good job. Private divorce mediations are usually handled by sole practitioners or small local mediation groups. Get a list from the phone book and check references carefully.