Coercive mediation
A pressured agreement is not meaningful self-determination
Mediation is supposed to support voluntary, informed decision-making—not force settlement at any cost. Coercion can arise through intimidation, threats, humiliation, rushed deadlines, misleading legal claims, financial pressure, or power imbalances that the process fails to address. Domestic abuse and fear can make an apparently voluntary agreement anything but free.
What failure can look like
- Threats of punishment, financial ruin, lost custody, or judicial retaliation for refusing a proposal
- A party denied time, information, counsel, accommodations, or a safe way to participate
- The mediator taking sides, misstating the law, concealing conflicts, or pressuring agreement after consent is withdrawn
Protect the record
Preserve the mediation agreement, disclosures, written proposals, draft terms, messages, invoices, dates, participants, requested accommodations, and the circumstances surrounding consent. Respect mediation confidentiality rules, which vary by jurisdiction, and consult qualified counsel before recording, disclosing, challenging, or signing anything.