A Washington Order Appointing Mediator is a court order issued by the Superior Court of Washington State that appoints a neutral third-party to assist in resolving a dispute between two parties. The order is typically issued when the parties involved in the dispute are unable to resolve the matter on their own and are in need of outside assistance. The mediator appointed by the court helps the parties to identify and understand their respective positions, explore options for compromise, and ultimately reach a mutually satisfactory settlement agreement. There are two types of Washington Order Appointing Mediator: voluntary and mandatory. A voluntary order occurs when the parties agree to mediation and mutually elect a mediator. A mandatory order is issued by the court when the parties do not agree to mediation and the court appoints a mediator to decide the dispute. In either case, the mediator is responsible for facilitating a dialogue between the parties in order to identify and address the issues in dispute, and to help the parties reach a settlement agreement.