Local Attorney Mediators Give Back to the Courts and Community by Helping to Resolve Disputes

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- Local attorney mediators are giving back to the courts and community by helping resolve disputes through mediation

“We rise by helping others.” Robert Ingersoll

Lawsuits can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful—and don’t always lead to outcomes that feel fair. As Montgomery County continues to grow, so does the number of cases in local courts.

To help address this, Texas law requires larger counties to offer Settlement Weeks, which encourage people to resolve civil disputes through mediation instead of going to trial.

The Montgomery County Bar Association, the Woodlands Bar Association, and the Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County (DRC-MC) collaborated to successfully carry out the 2025–2026 Settlement Weeks Project.

During this program:
 111 pro bono mediations were completed
 Volunteer attorney mediators donated 342.75 hours of their time

These efforts helped residents resolve disputes peacefully while reducing the burden on local courts.

DRC-MC extends sincere thanks to the following volunteer attorney mediators for their time and dedication:
Kathy Black, Alan Bush, Elaine Berkley, Deborah Concepcion, Tim Culberson, Lynn Esposito, Dan Hoffman, Cassandra Noel, Donna Owen, Sio Pitre, Ronnica Ridgway, Bethany Stephens, Alliana Stiller, Daniel Usiak, Mary Vega, and Marieka Witkamp.

“The Settlement Weeks Project is a win for everyone,” said Elaine Roberts, President and CEO of the DRC-MC. “Courts benefit from reduced caseloads, and parties save time and money, and volunteers have the opportunity to serve their community.”

Attorneys interested in volunteering for the 2026–2027 Settlement Weeks Project can contact:
Stephanie Marquart, DRC-MC Manager of Volunteer Engagement and Development,
Stephanie.marquart@mctx.org;
(936) 760-6914, Ext. 4

Community members interested in mediation services can contact DRC-MC:
(936) 760-6914, Ext. 2

www.resolution-center.org⁠