In Texas, the probate court has the authority to order alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for a probate case at the motion of any party or upon its own motion. Although mediation is the most popular ADR method, the court has no authority to force parties to come to a mediated agreement. Parties to a probate dispute can agree to mediation even without a court order.
Probate mediation naturally invokes probate law, and you could end up with the short end of the settlement if you don’t understand how probate law works. One of the circumstances that gives one party leverage in probate mediation is the ability to win in court if the other party refuses to agree.