How does mediation in federal court differ from private mediation?

The core of the process is the same — a neutral helps the parties negotiate toward a voluntary resolution — but court-annexed mediation has some distinctive features. The mediator is drawn from a panel the court has approved and trained, the referral typically comes from the court as part of case management, and the process operates within the framework and rules of the court’s mediation program. Private mediation, by contrast, is arranged entirely by the parties, who select and pay their neutral and set their own terms. Both are confidential and non-binding until an agreement is signed, and both benefit from an experienced neutral. For parties already in federal litigation, the court-annexed program offers a convenient, credible, and cost-effective path to resolution supported by the court itself.  The court-annexed mediations also offer court resources such as mediation rooms and IT services for Zoom or hybrid mediations.