in the Matter of the Marriage of Randal Reynolds Ramsey and Sheryl Leigh Williams Echols

IN THE
TENTH COURT OF APPEALS
No. 10-14-00252-CV
IN THE MATTER OF THE MARRIAGE OF RANDAL REYNOLDS
RAMSEY AND SHERYL LEIGH WILLIAMS ECHOLS
and
No. 10-14-00259-CV
IN RE RANDAL REYNOLDS RAMSEY
From the County Court at Law No. 1
Brazos County, Texas
Trial Court No. 10-001308-CVD-CCL1
MEDIATION ORDER
The Legislature has provided for the resolution of disputes through alternative
dispute resolution (ADR) procedures. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE ANN. §§ 154.001-
154.073 (West 2005). The policy behind ADR is stated in the statute: “It is the policy of
this state to encourage the peaceable resolution of disputes . . . and the early settlement
of pending litigation through voluntary settlement procedures.” Id. § 154.002 (West
2005). Mediation is a form of ADR. Mediation is a mandatory but non-binding
settlement conference, conducted with the assistance of a mediator. Mediation is
private, confidential, and privileged.
We find that this appeal is appropriate for mediation. See id. § 154.021(a) (West
2005); 10TH TEX. APP. (WACO) LOC. R. 9.
The Court assigns Linda McLain as mediator. Her address and phone number
are as follows:
Linda McLain
1903 Dove Crossing Lane
Navasota, TX 77868
(936) 825-6533
Fax (936) 825-8599
Mediation must occur within sixty days after the date of this order; however, it is
left to the parties and the mediator to agree on the location of the mediation.
No less than seven calendar days before the first scheduled mediation session, each
party must provide the mediator and all other parties with an information sheet setting
forth the party’s positions about the issues that need to be resolved. At or before the
first session, all parties must produce all information necessary for the mediator to
understand the issues presented. The mediator may require any party to supplement
the information required by this Order.
Named parties must be present during the entire mediation process.
Immediately after mediation, the mediator must advise this Court, in writing,
only that the case did or did not settle and the amount of the mediator’s fee paid by
In the Matter of the Marriage of Ramsey and In re Ramsey Page 2
each party. The mediator’s fees will be taxed as costs. Unless the mediator agrees to
mediate without fee, the mediator must negotiate a reasonable fee with the parties, and
the parties must each pay one-half of the agreed-upon fee directly to the mediator.
Failure or refusal to attend the mediation as scheduled may result in the
imposition of sanctions, as permitted by law.
Any objection to this Order must be filed with this Court and served upon all
parties within ten days after the date of this Order, or it is waived.
We refer the appeal in Cause No. 10-14-00252-CV to mediation as well as Cause
No. 10-14-00259-CV.
PER CURIAM
Before Chief Justice Gray,
Justice Davis, and
Justice Scoggins
Order issued and filed November 20, 2014
Do not publish
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