Practice

Because of their many years of active practice as litigators in complex civil matters, Mr. Hiatt and Ms. Hiatt are intimately familiar with the significant expense, time and stress on the participants that are usually incurred when a conflict is resolved through litigation. When parties are willing to agree to mediation, Hiatt & Hiatt assists the parties by:

1. Taking the time needed to become familiar with the claims and defenses in the case.

2. Building a relationship of trust and clear communication with each side.

3. Working actively and creatively with the parties to find a reasonable and mutually acceptable solution.

4. Helping the parties to document the settlement they have reached so that they leave with a durable understanding.

The firm’s goal is always to identify a solution which all of the parties can accept and to do so in a process where each party has been fully heard and treated fairly during the mediation process.

In serving as a mediator or arbitrator, Hiatt & Hiatt works through Dispute Prevention and Resolution.

Hiatt & Hiatt understands the heavy responsibility placed on an arbitrator to reach a fair result because of the difficulty in overturning an arbitration award. They pay close attention to the evidence and argument and strives to reach decisions which are well supported and thoroughly explained to all parties.

Institutions can often be led astray when an employee is alleged to have committed an offense warranting discipline or discharge. The accused may in fact be guilty, or the accused may instead be the innocent victim of some other workplace agenda. Sorting through the relevant facts to find the truth in such cases first requires review of the relevant standards applicable to the conduct at issue, then a review of the documents that pertain to the dispute, then multiple witness interviews and close analysis of any conflicting testimony to resolve any discrepancies. Hiatt & Hiatt performs this work thoroughly to the appropriate legal standard.  When the investigation is complete, a written report that is well documented and thorough is provided. The firm has conducted multiple investigations for hospitals, businesses and utilities.

During a divorce or paternity case, the physical and legal custody of a child frequently becomes an issue.  In order for the court to have a better understanding of the child’s circumstances, the court may appoint a neutral third party, known as a best interest fact finder (“BIFF”).  The parties may also mutually agree to the appointment of the BIFF.  The BIFF interviews the family, the children and other relevant persons (such as friends, teachers, neighbors, and medical professionals), prepares a written report summarizing the investigation and making recommendations, and may even testify at trial. Ms. Hiatt has presided over hundreds of hearings involving the best interests of a child or children. She is extremely familiar with the process, with courtroom procedure and with the criteria that the court applies in making its final decision in child custody disputes. Ms. Hiatt is also highly skilled at interviewing people, assessing varied situations and preparing written reports. She understands that an impartial and comprehensive report, conducted in an efficient and timely manner, may be extremely helpful to the court in considering the case and in making its final decision on custody and visitation issues.