What is pre-suit mediation, and how does it help in an estate dispute?

Pre-suit mediation is mediation that takes place before a lawsuit is ever filed, allowing parties to resolve a conflict privately and cost-effectively without entering the court system. In estate and inheritance matters, this can be especially valuable: it lets family members address a brewing dispute — over a will, a distribution, or a fiduciary’s conduct — before positions harden and litigation costs begin consuming the estate. Resolving a matter pre-suit is typically faster, cheaper, and far less adversarial than filing first and mediating later, and it can preserve both estate value and family relationships. It works best when the parties are willing to come to the table early, before the conflict escalates.