DeKalb County Magistrate Court provides Online Dispute Resolution to you as a free, easy, and convenient way to resolve your dispute from your computer or mobile device.
The Online Dispute Resolution (“ODR”) program is a web-based mediation tool provided by the Court. The process is like in-person mediation but offers the added benefit of mediating at a time and place that is convenient for you. Parties and/or their attorneys register for ODR using their case number, an email address and/or cell phone number.
Mediation is an informal and non-adversarial process for parties and/or their attorneys to discuss and hopefully resolve their dispute with the assistance of a mediator. The mediator, a neutral third-party, guides the discussion but has no authority to decide the case. Mediators also do not provide legal or financial advice.
Once registered, parties and/or their attorneys, with or without the assistance of a mediator, message one another using the ODR platform. If an agreement is reached, the agreement is created on the platform, sent to the parties or their attorneys to review and sign electronically, and then sent to the judge to review and sign. Agreements signed by the judge are filed with the Court, sent to the parties and/or their attorneys, and the case is closed. If no agreement is reached, the case will be placed on a calendar for a hearing.
To register for ODR, search for your case below.
If you do not have an email account, visit one of the following sites to create one:
