If you and your spouse are going down the path of divorce, you already know it can be a difficult process filled with emotions that can affect your entire family.
Litigation can be stressful, argumentative, lengthy in duration, and expensive. The divorce process in and of itself can place parties at odds and in a hostile setting.
A consideration, in lieu of contested litigation, is mediation. Mediation is an out-of-court process that can make the divorce process easier on the entire family, as it allows you and your spouse to discuss different aspects of your divorce in a less stressful environment with a common goal of reaching an agreement.
It is common during the divorce process for parents to argue, and to struggle to listen and hear the other parents’ perspective, causing a breakdown in communication. Fighting amongst parents can cause their children to suffer as a result of witnessing conflict within their home. The mediation process facilitates open communication between parties in a safe space to discuss any issues facing them in their divorce process, whether it concerns custody, spousal support, a marital residence, debts, and the like. This less stressful setting can actually help divorcing parents with their communication tools, in the present and long-term as they go on to raise their children post-divorce, sell property, deal with business ventures. Parties who enter into mediation can bring any issues facing them in the divorce process to the table for discussion.
During the mediation process, the parties will meet with a trained mediator, who will facilitate the joint meeting in a fair manner, to focus on the areas causing conflict in the divorce process as well as issues that may bring different views of the parties. The mediator does not represent either party and therefore remains an objective seat at the table. The mediator works to carve out an agreement that is reasonable for both parties, allowing them to feel that they walk away with something important to them in the process, almost a win (there are no winners in divorce). Hopefully, the hostility that may have come with attorneys fighting on opposite sides is negated or greatly reduced for the parties, which in turn makes the overall process less stressful.
Mediation is not right for everyone however it is an excellent option for many divorcing couples who wish for a more amicable divorce process. Even more, it sets up you and your spouse for success in your future communication with one another.
No one wishes to spend their precious time and money on the divorce process, which is another benefit of mediation, which can substantially reduce the time it takes to finalize your divorce, which otherwise may take upwards of a year or more. The time you save in mediation can be spent on your family or yourself instead of in court or with your attorney.
Should you need the advice of a divorce attorney, have questions or concerns about your situation, or want to schedule a mediation, know that we are here to help and discuss those issues with you.