Your long-term satisfaction with mediation will largely depend on whether your agreement solves your problem once and for all:

• Does the contractor who agrees to repaint the hallway do a good job?

• Does your former business partner make all payments as promised to buy out your share of the business?

• Does your neighbor stop harassing your kids?

Sometimes, however, despite everyone’s best efforts, your mediated agreement just won’t work. This may occur because circumstances have changed since the agreement was made, one party has failed to honor the agreement, or the agreement proved to be unworkable in the real world. This chapter explains your options in these circumstances.

A.