Legal Definitions - caucus

A caucus generally refers to a private meeting held by a specific group of people, typically within a larger organization or assembly, to discuss strategy, make decisions, or align their positions on particular issues before engaging with the broader body. This term is most commonly associated with political parties but can apply to any group with shared interests.

• Political Party Strategy: Before a major legislative vote on a new environmental protection bill, members of the "Progressive Party" in the national parliament meet privately. During this meeting, they discuss the bill's potential impact, debate specific amendments they might propose, and decide whether to vote for or against it as a unified bloc. This private gathering to align their party's stance and strategy is a caucus.

• Professional Association Policy: At an annual conference for medical professionals, a group of doctors specializing in public health decides to meet separately from the main assembly. They use this meeting to draft a proposal for the association's board, advocating for new guidelines on vaccine distribution in underserved communities. This focused gathering to develop a shared policy and strategy is a caucus.

In the context of mediation, a separate caucus is a confidential meeting where a mediator speaks individually with one of the parties involved in a dispute, away from the other parties. The purpose is to explore their interests, understand their concerns, and facilitate the exchange of settlement offers and demands in a private setting.

• Dispute Resolution: During a mediation session between a homeowner and a contractor over a construction dispute, direct negotiation becomes tense and unproductive. The mediator then asks the homeowner to step into a separate room for a private discussion, and later does the same with the contractor. In these individual "separate caucuses," the mediator can privately discuss each party's bottom line, explore creative solutions without the other party present, and relay proposals back and forth, helping to bridge the communication gap and move towards a resolution.