This article provides some observations of the family mediation pilot project. The pilot was the outcome of a recommendation by the Law Commission's 2003 report "Dispute Resolution in the Family Court" asking for non-Judge led mediation in the Family Court. The author considers the aims of the pilot project, the terms under which it was conducted, and reports on the findings of an interim report of an evaluation of the first seven months of the pilot. The discussion incorporates a comparison of Judge-led mediation and the mediation process the pilot scheme employs. It also considers the difference between counselling and the mediation provided by the pilot. A brief discussion on whether lawyers and children should attend mediations is also given. The author concludes by providing some comments on the pilot's successfulness to date.

New Zealand Family Law Journal 5(5) March 2006 : 113-117