Mediation and ADR
Neutral
An impartial person with no stake in the outcome who helps the parties resolve a dispute. Mediators, arbitrators and evaluators are all neutrals.[1][2]
In more detail
Federal ADR law refers to the person running the process as a neutral third party.[1] The federal courts' glossary describes an arbitrator as a neutral decision maker.[2] The Northern District of California calls the mediators and evaluators on its panel neutrals and appoints ones with no apparent conflict of interest.[3]
Varies by state
State laws use different titles, such as impartial third party in Texas. Find your state’s rules.
Related terms
- MediatorA neutral, impartial person who conducts a mediation and helps the parties reach their own agreement, without deciding the dispute.
- ImpartialityActing without favoritism, bias or prejudice toward any participant.
- Impartial third partyTexas's statutory name for the neutral a court appoints to run an ADR process, such as a mediator.
- Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)Ways of resolving a legal dispute without a trial, such as mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation and settlement conferences.
- Conflict of interestAny relationship or situation, past or present, whether personal, professional or financial, that could sway a mediator's neutrality or make it look compromised.
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). Neutral: Definition. https://mediationlist.com/glossary/neutral/
APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.