Mediation and ADR
Orientation session
A preliminary meeting in which the parties and the neutral assess a case and decide whether to go on with mediation or another dispute resolution process, or to proceed in court.[1]
In more detail
Virginia law lets a court send a contested civil case to an orientation session about dispute resolution, and Virginia's standards explain that its goal is to educate parties about the available processes and assess whether mediation is appropriate.[1] Virginia's mediators can report to the court that an orientation session did not take place.[2]
Varies by state
Orientation and intake steps differ by state and court. Find your state’s rules.
Related terms
- Agreement to mediateA written agreement, signed before mediation begins, in which the parties and the mediator set the ground rules: the mediator's role and style, fees, confidentiality and its exceptions, and how the process can end.
- Opening statementThe start of a mediation session, when the mediator explains the process and each side describes the dispute from its own point of view.
- Court-ordered mediationMediation a judge sends a pending case to, on the court's own motion or at a party's request.
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Sources
The official documents this definition is based on, with the date we last read each one. Definitions are in our own words.
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MediationList. (2026, October 28). Orientation session: Definition. https://mediationlist.com/glossary/orientation-session/
APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.