Fee & Attendance Policy

Fee & Attendance Policy

Effective: January 2026

Free Initial Consult (15 minutes)

The 15-minute initial consult is free and is used to:

• Briefly understand the situation and goals

• Explain how the process works

• Discuss scheduling/attendance logistics and payment options

• Determine the appropriate service type and session length

Consult courtesy: Please cancel/reschedule as soon as possible if you can’t make it. Repeated missed consults may require booking a paid session moving forward.

Pricing

The Truce Room is committed to making conflict support accessible. A limited number of reduced-fee sessions are available each month for clients experiencing financial hardship. 

Standard rate sessions and pay-it-forward contributions help keep this program sustainable. Sliding Scale Spots are limited and offered based on availability. If you would like to be considered for free/reduced cost services, please let us know during your consultation intake. 

Mediation fees are priced on a “per party” basis. The number of parties is determined by counting all parties represented by the same counsel as one party. Additionally, if one party is represented by multiple attorneys, that party is still considered as one party. Related parties, even with aligned interests, are considered as separate parties if they have separate counsel.

If you’re able, you can add a pay-it-forward contribution to support reduced-fee sessions for someone who needs it. Let’s help make a difference in our community.

What exactly are you paying for? 

The standard rate includes: 

• Scheduling and administering the session between all parties involved

• Any pre-mediation attorney conferences 

• Preparing for and conducting the mediation session 

• Conducting the post-session telephone facilitation and correspondence as needed

• Finalization of all draft documents for each party/attorney and case closure

• Refreshments for all present + snacks

• Lunch for all present (for 6 and 8 hour sessions only) 

What times work best?

• Two hour mediations usually begin at 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., or 4:30 p.m. 

• Four hour mediations will usually begin at 9:00 or 1:00 p.m.

• 6 and 8 hour mediations typically begin at 9:00 a.m with a 1 hour lunch provided to you.

• Weekend & After-hours mediations will vary based on availability.

If your preferred start time differs, we will do our best to accommodate you.

Despite the time slot you choose, please arrive 15 minutes early so we can go over preliminary introductions and expectations. That way we can focus on spending the actual paid hours working. 

If your situation changes significantly after booking, we may require a different service type, longer session time, or updated pricing to continue.

Individual Sessions (Single-Party) 

Individual Sessions are 1:1 support for conflict coaching, communication planning, and mediation preparation. Formal mediation requires participation of all parties.

• Standard rate:$95/hr

• Minimum booking:1 hour

*Extensions/Overage (only if available): $50 per 30 minutes 

Sessions end at the scheduled end time. Going over time must usually be scheduled as a new appointment. The session may continue if the mediator is still available.

Multi-Party Standard Rates (Per Participating Party)

Weekday ($150 hourly standard rate)

• 2-Hours (minimum):$300 per party

• Half-Day (4 hours):$600 per party

• 6 Hours + lunch included:$900 per party (When a 1/2 day is too little & a full day is just a little much)

• Full-Day (8 hours + lunch included):$1200 per party

*Standard Weekday Extensions/Overage (only if available): $150 per hour per party

Sessions end at the scheduled end time. Going over time must usually be scheduled as a new appointment. The session may continue if the mediator is still available. Extensions require authorization by each party and/or attorneys (if applicable). These overage charges may be collected via card on file or invoiced per the payment terms.

Cases With 3+ Parties

Pricing is per participating party. For cases involving 3+ parties, a group rate may be offered based on complexity and scheduling. Please contact us so we can efficiently organize your session.

Weekend & After-Hours Availability

Weekend and after-hours sessions are offered on a limited, rotating basis and may vary month to month. These slots may book quickly. Some months have more weekend openings than others. The best way to secure a spot is to book early when that month’s availability opens. Nothing is held without a paid deposit.

*Weekend/After hours Extensions/Overage (only if available): $150 per hour per party

Sessions end at the scheduled end time. Going over time must usually be scheduled as a new appointment. The session may continue if the mediator is still available. Extensions require authorization by each party and/or attorneys (if applicable). These overage charges may be collected via card on file or invoiced per the payment terms.

Sliding Scale/Reduced Fees (Limited Availability)

We offer a limited number of free and reduced-fee service slots for community members in need each month. Our sliding scale program is a one time grant access to community members in need in the order in which they are received. This is to help ensure all other community members in need of services get the assistance they need. Availability is limited and not guaranteed:

• Standard: published rates

• Community: reduced-fee spots (limited)

• Extreme Hardship: very limited availability based on capacity

Application requirements: 

• Brief description of need and requested service type 

• Household size and monthly income range 

• Current benefits status: SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, SSI/SSDI, WIC, etc.

• Proof is required in order to ensure that actual financially impacted members get reduced cost services without delay.

Logistics for determination:

➜ Review & decision timeline: Requests are reviewed within 3 business days with a reply via email. If you have questions or would like to discuss the decision, please contact us.

➜ Approval scope (if approved): Reduced/free eligibility may be approved for one session only, a set number of sessions, or a defined time period. Each case will vary based on complexity.

➜ If approved, you may be required to: keep a card on file, pay a small commitment deposit (applied if attended), or meet other requirements. 

➜ Fair + firm clarification: Submitting an application does not reserve appointment time. Appointments are reserved only after approval and payment/booking requirements (if any) are completed. 

➜ After submitting proof of documents requested, we do NOT keep them on file in order to ensure client privacy and confidentiality. All original proof is returned and all copies of proof are securely shredded or deleted permanently.

Booking & Payment (Read This Before Booking)

Your session is not booked until the deposit is paid. If a deposit is not paid, the time is still available to someone else. You are more than welcome to pay it in full but if you aren’t able to, then a deposit is a requirement for all paying clients.

• 50% deposit due at booking to reserve your time
  

• Remaining 50% due no later than 7 business days prior to the session

If the remaining balance is not paid by the deadline, your session is cancelled and your deposit is forfeited.

Each party (or their attorneys) shall be responsible for the timely payment of all fees specified herein. The mediator reserves the right to refuse to commence the mediation session if all fees have not been tendered in acceptable form. Payment of the mediation fee is due 7 business days prior to the mediation. If one party fails to pay by the deadline, the session will be cancelled and released to other clients.

For clarity: forfeited deposits are not refundable or transferable beyond the one time reschedule option. When this happens, forfeited deposits are applied to support reduced-fee sessions for community members who need them, as available.

These policies also apply for our impacted community members who are wasting time and resources by cancelling, rescheduling, or not showing up to their session too. Repeated incidents will ban you from receiving discounted/free services in the future. 

All requests are not guaranteed until booked with deposit, and paid in full 7 business days prior to session, and confirmed with all parties.

Rescheduling, Cancellations, Late Arrivals, & No-Shows

Deposits reserve time that can’t always be re-booked on short notice. Since we offer limited free and reduced-fee appointments, these spots are limited so they must be used responsibly. Here are the policies for ALL clients regardless of financial status:

You get ONE (1) reschedule/transfer of your deposit only if the request is made 7 PLUS business days of the scheduled session. The reschedule must be used/scheduled within 30 days, subject to availability.

If you reschedule/cancel WITHIN 7 business days of the session: Your deposit is forfeited (if you cancel) and a $250 fee will be added to the rescheduling/cancelling party’s bill.

Late arrival: Grace period is 15 minutes. Arriving late may reduce session time; sessions still end at the scheduled end time. If a party arrives after 15 minutes, the mediator may proceed if feasible, or treat the delay as missed time and apply the late/no-show consequences indicated below. 

No-show: A no-show occurs if a paid party does not attend and does not contact the mediator within 15 minutes before/after the start time. Tardiness/No-show triggers a $250 fee for that specific party and all paid fees remain non-refundable. 

Emergency exception: Exceptions will be made only in true actual emergencies that could have not been prevented, at the mediator’s discretion. Any exception needs to be rescheduled at a later date.

Out of Town Sessions

From time to time, we may offer to travel out of town within Tarrant county to certain clients or community members for an additional $175 per party. 

If the mediation is outside of Tarrant County, but within Texas, there is an additional charge of $375 per party. 

In the unusual event that travel expenses other than mileage are required, the costs are to be divided equally among the parties. If it is necessary to spend an additional day traveling to or from a mediation location, the mediation session will be billed as a multiple session for the total number of days involved in the travel and conducting the mediation session.

Illness & Health Safety Policy (In-Person Sessions) 

Please do not attend in person if you (or anyone attending with you) has: 

• fever (or fever within the last 24 hours) 

• vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours 

• persistent cough, shortness of breath, or significant sore throat 

• new or worsening cold/flu symptoms 

• known contagious illness exposure where symptoms are present or you’ve been advised to isolate 

Return-to-in-person guideline: fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine and no vomiting/diarrhea for 24 hours, with improving symptoms. 

Switching in-person to virtual: You may request to switch an in-person session to virtual with advance notice of 48 hours. If you do not provide notice and do not attend, the $250 late cancellation/no-show policy applies.

Policy Updates & Pricing Discretion

The Truce Room reserves the right to update or modify fees, policies, packages, promotions, and special pricing at any time. Any changes will apply going forward and will not affect services already paid for or confirmed in writing, unless required by law or mutually agreed. We also reserve the right to revoke or discontinue special pricing, sliding-scale rates, discounts, or promotional offers at our discretion, including when session intensity, scope, scheduling demands, or case complexity changes.

Please direct any and all questions to:

letsmeet@thetruceroom.com or 817-420-7574.

Thank you,

The Truce Room Mediation Center