Caucus - a meeting in which the mediator or mediators talk with the parties separately from one another to discuss impasse,  issues or offers. 

Claimant - the filing party, also known as initiating party, complainant, Disputant A or Party A or plaintiff(s). 

Confidentiality - refers to the agreement to hold information private, to not disclose.

Ground Rules - is a term used for the agreed to guidelines for behavior decorum to be adhered to during a mediation proceeding. 

Impasse - is a deadlock or seeming dead end in discussion or negotiation. 

Mediation - is a confidential, less formal process than court or arbitration in which a neutral assists the parties in reaching his or her own settlement. Per Colorado Statutes: Mediation means an intervention in dispute negotiations by a trained neutral third party with the purpose of assisting the parties to reach their own solution.  See also – Colorado Mediation Statutes 

Mini-trial - is a confidential process, a “trial run” for informational purposes that is intended to facilitate settlement.  

Negotiation - is a process in which disputants discuss, debate and/or explore with one another in order to arrive at agreements or settlements. 

Neutral - as used on this site, refers to a person who is not engaged on any side of a dispute and not aligned with any of the parties. A neutral is an impartial person available to facilitate the resolution of disputes. 

Panel - refers to a qualified group or list of mediators or resolutionists from whom a neutral may be chosen.  

Parties - are the disputants or persons directly engaged in the dispute. 

Respondents - are responding parties.  In some cases known as defendants or Party B., etc. 

Resolutionist - a person who facilitates parties to a dispute in seeking and reaching a resolution or agreement.  Also known as a Mediator.