Dallas: The DMS Story
By: Herbert V. Cooke and Gloria Dixon

The Dallas Dispute Mediation Service (DMS) has come a long way in its nearly twenty year history. This Dallas dispute resolution center was born in 1980 with the help of the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Justice Department and a citizens' committee of eighty-five leaders from government, education, business, community agencies, the judiciary, and the Dallas Bar Association.

DMS opened its doors in 1981 with three goals: 1) to provide mediation and other consensus-based strategies for resolving disputes for the people of Dallas County; 2) to provide information and referral regarding the resolution of disputes; 3) to provide technical assistance in dispute resolution for local government, the courts, business, the professions, social agencies, and community organizations.

Along with the basic mediation services for community and court referred cases, DMS offers on-site mediation at four justice of the peace courts, temporary orders mediation for the Associate Judges in the Family Courts, and on-site mediation at the Carrollton Police Department. Training in conflict resolution is provided monthly at the NEXUS Recovery Center for women and in the summer at city recreation centers.

Over the years DMS has been honored by the Community Council of Greater Dallas Award for Excellence in Human Service Programming, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center Outstanding Community Service Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award by the Dallas County Volunteer Center, and the Special Recognition Award of the Dallas Peace Center.

Five hundred seventy-nine volunteer mediators have been trained by DMS since 1981 and over one hundred thousand parties have been served. DMS enters the new year with 315 active mediators who make it all possible, 21 members of the Board of Directors who set the policies, 7 experienced staff members who keep the ship afloat and on course, an expected caseload of over 2000 cases, and a client satisfaction rating of 93% in 1999.

DMS volunteers come from many different backgrounds and professions. They
may be trained by DMS or any group which meets the statutory training requirements. A large part of our caseload requires family training as well as the basic forty hours. Copies of resumés and training certificates are kept on file for each volunteer. For information about becoming a DMS volunteer, trained mediators may call (214) 754-0022 to set up an interview appointment.