Joseph P. Bluth, Mediator and Qualified Neutral
My purpose is to determine and use an effective approach towards each of the involved family members when helping them resolve their family law and custody disputes. When I first started practicing law in 1979, I emphasized family and criminal law and my work quickly gravitated towards high conflict cases. This led me to a deep appreciation of the need to develop a case specific approach to understanding the interpersonal dynamics affecting all parties involved. My cases often involved working with, and sometimes for, therapists, social workers and professionals from just about every discipline. Now, as a neutral, my goal is to understand the people involved and assist them to resolve their conflicts, so that they and their children do not have to undergo the anxiety, cost and harmful aspects of protracted litigation. Click for Resume


Focused on Mediation and Alternative Dispute Arbitration (ADR)
I now limit my practice to mediation and serving as a neutral in all types of sensitive custody and family law matters, and assisting families who have a child, parent or other family member coping with personal injury, wrongful death, tort or healthcare crisis, so that they can appropriately find a solution, whether there are attorneys involved or not. High Conflict Mediation and Arbitration Services, Chartered is based in Mankato, but are also provided throughout all of Southern and Southwestern Minnesota, and the Lake Minnetonka metro area.


We Can Use Technology to Minimize Time off of Work
My firm has always made a concerted effort to be adept at using technology to assist us in handling serious criminal, civil and family law matters. At times, we effectively attended court appearances and sessions through an Internet or cell-phone connected program. Technology often makes it viable to prepare the parties for mediation/ADR sessions; and in some instances they may even feel comfortable having their sessions be entirely done remotely via Skype, Hangouts and other 3rd party video-chat applications, whether done by way of a cell-phone or web-based connection or a combination of both. While not usually the first choice for such difficult matters, there are times when we may be able to use such technology to resolve your dispute in a more cost effective manner.