Family Mediation

Divorce is so stressful.

Even in the most civil of relationships, when it comes to splitting up money; time with children; your 20-year-old, broken down lawn furniture; or whatever it is, it can be stressful.

And it can get ugly – and made worse by a long, drawn out, expensive process of litigating in court over every, last item in the house.

Mediation helps resolve potential conflicts during a divorce.

Mediation is a confidential process that gives you, the couple, an opportunity to resolve some, or all, matters involved in your divorce.

A mediator can help resolve disagreements about parenting schedules, child support, alimony, property division, distribution of property, and other family matters.

It is the one arena in which the parties can come together to craft the future of their own lives.

Don’t let someone else decide your family’s fate.

Sometimes it is just not possible to come to an agreement, but it is almost always better to discuss the topics and find a solution together rather than going to court and having it be decided by someone else.

That someone does not know you or your family, the ins and outs of your children, and your history.

The mediation process provides a forum in which the parties have the opportunity to openly discuss their positions and their feelings in an attempt to come to a settlement.

Mediation allows for agreement without litigation.

Together, we can identify the most important issues and address them one at a time, discuss possible solutions, get creative about solutions, review, revise and prepare the agreement – and even have a Marriage Settlement Agreement by the end.

Another perk is that mediation also tends to be quicker and less expensive than litigation.

What are the advantages of mediation?

You will make the decisions. You, the individuals involved, are the ones who know your children and family best. You don’t have to leave it to a stranger in a courtroom to tell you how your family will work or how you will be raising your children.

Mediation is much less expensive than fighting in court. Mediation is much less distressing than fighting in court. Mediation is much faster than working your way through the many complex steps of litigation.

What are the financial advantages of mediation over litigation?

The most common alternative to mediation is to work with two separate lawyers to handle negotiations. This can be much more expensive. The hourly fees of mediators typically are lower than those of lawyers.

If each party hires a lawyer, each family member must pay for the hours of work separately or together, whereas they can pay just one mediator.

Litigious approaches to divorce can involve a lot of costly procedural actions, whereas mediation is a very straightforward approach. The Agreement that emerges from mediation can easily be incorporated into a court order.

Can a mediator give legal advice?

Mediators cannot give legal, accounting, or psychological advice.

While some mediators may have a legal background, as mediators we are in a unique role that does not involve representing or advocating for either party. We are neutral to both parties.

How many sessions of mediation are needed when people are divorcing?

The answer varies with the number of issues to be resolved, their complexity, and the degree of conflict between the parties. A typical comprehensive divorce case may take anywhere from 2 to 8 sessions or more.

Mediating Parenting Plans alone may take as few as 1 to 3 sessions.

Let’s work together to get your divorce in the least stressful way possible.

It is best for a couple to try and resolve their differences outside of court. It is best to try mediation before the litigation process.

Mediation early on can save the parties thousands of dollars and minimize long-term distress.

Call to schedule mediation today.