In my mediation practice, I generally offer a preliminary consultation to couples so that they can get an understanding of the mediation process. At the end of it, I give them a list of the documents that they need to gather for their first appointment, but I never have given them a list of what they should not do.

However, following a recent meeting with a couple where the wife had removed her husband from their health insurance policy without advance notice (the husband found out he was no longer covered at his doctor’s office), I thought it might be helpful to list 9 important ‘Do-Nots’ that can delay, stall, or even derail a mediation.