One of the most fundamental and long-felt issues for the people who engage in ADR process is how and to what extent they should get involved with the parties. This paper discusses what conditions would be necessary to help the disputants find the resolutions for themselves, or what kind of actions of the third parties might distort the autonomous activities of the disputants.
The analysis of a divorce mediation case suggests three perspectives, which could be some clue to searching for new models and skills for ADR. (1) Ability of the disputants should not be recognized in individual, but in interaction. (2) The third party should not introduce its own theme to the disputing process. (3) We should rather pay attention to the various ways of contacting or encountering of the disputants, which might activate the moves and voices of them.
