Mediation and ADR
Impasse
The point at which mediation ends without an agreement on some or all issues.[1]
In more detail
In Florida court-ordered mediation, the mediator declares an impasse or reports to the court that no agreement was reached; certain settlement-offer deadlines that paused during mediation start running again.[1] Under the Uniform Mediation Act, a mediator may tell the court whether a settlement was reached but not why the mediation failed.[2] After an impasse, the case goes back to the court's normal schedule.
Varies by state
What the mediator reports, and what happens next, depends on the state's rules and the referral order. Find your state’s rules.
Related terms
- Mediator reportWhat a mediator may tell the court or agency about a mediation.
- Adjournment (Florida rule)A pause in a mediation session that will resume at a later time.
- Partial agreementAn agreement that settles some, but not all, of the issues in a mediation.
Read next on MediationList
Sources
The official documents this definition is based on, with the date we last read each one. Definitions are in our own words.
General information, not legal advice. MediationList is not a law firm. Spotted an error? Tell us.
Cite this page
MediationList. (2026, October 28). Impasse: Definition. https://mediationlist.com/glossary/impasse/
APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.