No one likes to go to court. Not only is it expensive and time-consuming, it often leads to frustrating results and damaged relationships. So is court-sponsored mediation a better route?

The answer is “sometimes,” according to a comprehensive study of court-affiliated mediation programs by Roselle L. Wissler of Arizona State University’s College of Law in Tempe. Settlement rates in these programs varied widely, ranging from 27% to 63%. In some programs, the percentage of settlements was higher than in nonmediated cases; in other programs, there was no difference. Several other studies have indicated higher compliance with mediated agreements than with court orders (though they found no significant difference between mediated agreements and privately negotiated settlements).