Legal Definitions - conciliation procedure

Definition: A process in which a neutral person helps parties to a dispute to settle their differences in an agreeable manner. This is often done through a relatively unstructured method of dispute resolution in which a third party facilitates communication between the parties.

For example, in California, there are Family Conciliation Courts that help resolve problems within families. The conciliator, who is a neutral person, meets with the parties to the dispute and explores how the dispute might be resolved. The conciliator helps the parties to communicate with each other and find a solution that is agreeable to both parties.

Another example of conciliation procedure is when two companies have a dispute over a contract. They may hire a conciliator to help them resolve the dispute. The conciliator will meet with both parties and help them to communicate with each other. The conciliator will explore how the dispute might be resolved and help the parties to find a solution that is agreeable to both parties.