New York Mediation Referral Order (NY MRO) is an order issued by the New York State Unified Court System to refer a dispute to mediation. The order, which is generally issued at the beginning of a case, requires the parties to participate in mediation and to make a good faith effort to resolve their dispute. It is intended to provide an alternative to litigation by encouraging the parties to reach an agreement through the process of mediation. NY MRO may be issued as a voluntary agreement between the parties, or ordered by a court. There are two types of NY MRO: Mandatory Mediation Referral Order and Voluntary Mediation Referral Order. Mandatory Mediation Referral Order requires both parties to participate in mediation and is typically issued when the parties are unable to reach an agreement without court intervention. Voluntary Mediation Referral Order allows the parties to make the decision to enter into mediation of their own volition.