One may wonder how and why appellate mediation could ever serve as a practical resolution tool. Presumably, settlement negotiations were not fruitful before trial. One party has already received a favorable ruling in the case. The answer, though sometimes surprising, is fairly simple. A global case resolution through appellate mediation can save both the parties and the courts considerable time and valuable resources (1) and can promptly bring to an end a dispute that could otherwise potentially drag on for years to come. (2) The goals of this article are to provide a brief overview of the appellate mediation programs currently being utilized in Florida's federal and state courts of appeal, to dissipate any negative preconceptions regarding appellate mediation, and to suggest that, in certain cases, appellate mediation can serve as a valuable tool in settling a dispute. The Benefits of Appellate Mediation
