Abercrombie MediationMaria Abercrombie Schedule

Georgia Registered Neutral · Since 2004

Resolution without the courtroom.

Mediation for co-parenting and family matters, personal injury claims, debt and collections, and workplace disputes — conducted in person across west Georgia and by Zoom statewide.

Registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution since 2004. Member, Academy of Professional Family Mediators. Court-connected and private neutral.

Schedule a Mediation See Practice Areas
22Years as a Georgia Registered Neutral
1,000+Collection and civil claim matters mediated
100+Personal injury claims mediated
StatewideIn person across west Georgia, by Zoom anywhere

Practice Areas

Four kinds of conflict, one disciplined process.

Every matter gets the same structure — preparation, private caucus, and a written agreement the court can accept. What changes is the pressure point, and knowing where it sits is the work.

Primary Focus

Co-Parenting & Family

Twenty-two years of parenting plans, custody and visitation schedules, modifications, and the day-to-day logistics that keep landing families back in front of a judge. The approach is calm, child-focused, and built to survive contact with real life — holidays, school transitions, new partners, and the handoffs where agreements usually break down.

  • Parenting plans and modifications
  • Custody and visitation schedules
  • High-conflict co-parenting dynamics
  • Cases involving domestic violence, handled with separate caucus throughout

Personal Injury

Several hundred injury claims mediated to date — auto, premises, and general liability — with counsel and adjusters at the table. Sessions run on a clear valuation framework so both sides watch the gap narrow in real time instead of trading positions across a conference table. Pre-suit and post-filing matters both welcome.

  • Auto and premises liability
  • Pre-suit and post-filing claims
  • Carrier and adjuster participation by Zoom
  • Half-day and full-day sessions available

Debt & Collections

More than a thousand collection and civil claim matters mediated — court-ordered magistrate dockets and private debt disputes. Most resolve on payment terms rather than principle, and an unrepresented defendant needs the process explained before any of it will hold. Full dockets scheduled back to back by arrangement with the court.

  • Magistrate Court civil claim dockets
  • Assigned and purchased debt matters
  • Payment plans and structured settlements

Workplace Disputes

Internal grievances, team and supervisor conflict, separation terms, and post-complaint repair. Useful before a matter becomes a filing, and equally useful after, when the parties still have to work in the same building on Monday.

  • Employee and supervisor conflict
  • Grievance and complaint resolution
  • Separation and transition agreements

About

Maria Abercrombie

Twenty-two years as a registered neutral in Georgia, and the majority of that time spent on the cases nobody volunteers to take — high-conflict custody, families in crisis, and unrepresented parties who arrive at mediation frightened and certain the process is stacked against them.

Maria's background is in crisis intervention and early childhood education. She founded an educational consulting company and has authored resources on early childhood development and parent training — work that informs how she handles a parenting plan, because a schedule that ignores how children actually experience transitions is a schedule that comes back to court.

That same discipline carries into civil work. In personal injury, debt, and workplace matters the emotional stakes are quieter but no less real, and the same tools apply: separate the people from the positions, make sure every party understands what they are agreeing to, and put it in writing before anyone leaves.

Maria serves Polk, Haralson, Douglas, Cobb, and Paulding counties in person, sits on court-connected panels in Superior, Juvenile, and Magistrate Court, and conducts private mediation by Zoom anywhere in Georgia.

Maria Abercrombie

Maria Abercrombie · Registered Neutral, Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution

Credentials

  • Registered Neutral, Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution — since 2004
  • Member, Academy of Professional Family Mediators
  • Court-connected mediator — Superior, Juvenile, and Magistrate Court
  • Private mediation, available statewide by Zoom
  • Background in crisis intervention and early childhood education
  • Founder, educational consulting practice; author of parent training resources

The Process

What actually happens.

Most people have never been to a mediation and picture something like a trial. It is not. Here is the whole thing, start to finish.

01

Scheduling

The court sends an order, or you call directly. You receive a date, the guidelines to sign, and a Zoom link or an address.

02

Opening

Everyone joins together. Maria explains the ground rules, confirms the process is confidential, and hears briefly from each side.

03

Caucus

The parties separate. Maria moves between them privately, testing options and carrying offers, and nothing said in caucus is shared without permission.

04

Agreement

Terms are written down and signed the same day, then filed with the court. If no agreement is reached, the case simply proceeds — nothing is lost.

Fees

Priced so it stays cheaper than the alternative.

Mediation costs a fraction of a contested hearing and takes weeks instead of months. Fees are quoted up front — you will never receive a surprise invoice.

Private Mediation

$150 / hour

Two-hour minimum. Split evenly between the parties unless otherwise agreed. Includes preparation, the session itself, and the written agreement.

Full-Day Session

$750 / day

For multi-issue family matters and injury claims that need room to work. Includes all caucus time and drafting.

Cancellations made with fewer than two (2) business days’ notice will result in a cancellation fee of the required minimum time.

What People Say

In their words.

“She got two people who hadn't spoken in a year to sign a parenting plan in under three hours.”

“Explained the whole process to my client in plain language. That's why it settled.”

“I came in expecting a fight and left with an agreement I could actually live with.”

Common Questions

Before your session.

Do I need a lawyer to mediate?

No. Many parties mediate without counsel, particularly in Magistrate Court matters. If you do have an attorney, they are welcome to attend. Maria is a neutral, not an attorney for either side, and does not give legal advice to anyone — you are always free to have a lawyer review an agreement before you sign it.

Is anything I say used against me later?

No. Mediation is confidential and privileged under Georgia law. What you say in a private caucus is not shared with the other side without your permission, and the parties agree in advance not to call the mediator as a witness or subpoena mediation materials.

How long does it take?

Most collection and small civil matters resolve in under an hour. Personal injury claims typically run two to four hours. Contested parenting plans usually need a half day, occasionally a full day. You will be given a realistic estimate before you commit.

What if we don't reach an agreement?

The case proceeds exactly as it would have. An impasse costs you nothing but the session — no admission is made, no position is waived, and the judge is told only that the matter did not resolve. Many cases that reach impasse settle within weeks anyway, because the parties finally understand each other's position.

Can we do this by Zoom?

Yes, and most matters now are. Each party joins from wherever they are, private caucus works through breakout rooms, and documents are signed electronically. Zoom sessions carry the same authority as a mediation held in the courthouse.

What should I bring?

Anything the other side has not already seen that supports your position — a proposed schedule, statements, receipts, photographs, medical records, or the contract in dispute. Send exhibits at least 24 hours ahead so both sides have time to review them. Bring your calendar, and bring authority to settle.

What areas do you serve?

In person: Polk, Haralson, Douglas, Cobb, and Paulding counties. By Zoom: anywhere in Georgia.

Contact

Let's find a date.

Whether the court has ordered mediation or you are trying to avoid a filing altogether, the first call is free and takes about ten minutes.

Request a consultation

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