What is mediation? Will the mediator decide the case?

Mediation is a common way parties try to resolve a dispute before it results in a formal lawsuit or goes to trial. This often involves getting the parties together in the same building (not usually the same room) with a mediator (an uninvolved third party, often a lawyer). The mediator does not decide the case or make rulings like a judge but rather listens to what the parties have to say about their claims and helps them come to an agreement/settlement.