“By the just we mean that which is lawful and that which is fair and equitable.” -Aristotle
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
OF DIVORCE MEDIATION?
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Promotes communication and cooperation | |
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Enables the parties to control the decisions that affect their lives. Parties make their own decisions on parenting arrangements, child and spousal support and division of property. | |
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A fraction of the cost of conventional litigation. | |
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Takes less time, letting people go on with their lives. | |
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Benefits children by reducing conflict, both during and after the divorce process. | |
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Fully confidential. Mediation avoids public disclosure of financial and personal matters, an often inevitable result of litigation. |
| THE MEDIATION PROCESS |
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Role of the Mediator. The mediator helps the parties to define their problems, and to guide them in developing mutually acceptable solutions. The mediator has no authority to impose a particular settlement. | |
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Relevant information is exchanged. | |
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Issues are clarified, | |
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Options are generated. | |
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Solutions are found. |
| THE RESULT OF MEDIATION |
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A legally binding written agreement that is acceptable to both parties. |
| WHAT ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED? |
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Division of property. | |
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Parenting arrangements. | |
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Child Support. | |
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Living arrangements. | |
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Spousal Maintenance (Alimony). | |
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Tax implications. | |
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Other relevant issues that the parties may need to address. |
| WHAT DOES THIS COST AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? |
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While some agreements may be reached in one or two sessions, the average length of time to reach an agreement is 6 to 14 hours. Every situation is different in terms of the people involved, and the complexity of the issues. | |
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Mediation sessions are usually scheduled one or two weeks apart, but scheduling is flexible based on the needs of the parties. | |
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Mediation time is charged on an hourly basis, and there is a flat fee for the written agreement. Even the longest mediation’s fee will pale in comparison to that of traditional adversarial litigation. |
| WHY IS MEDIATION BETTER THAN DIVORCE? |
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Mediation works best when there is a prospect of a future, non-adversarial relationship between the parties. Parents that although have decided to part ways, often agree to continue a common bond for the sake of their children. A mediator will do all they can to foster this environment. In traditional litigation, the objective is to declare one side a winner. Competition is not constructive. | |
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Parties can develop unique solutions tailored to their needs, without impersonal, bureaucratic interference from hostile attorneys and uncaring courts. |
| WHO ARE THE MEDIATORS? |
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All mediations are conducted by experienced attorneys that have been specially trained in divorce mediation. | |
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“Litigation… merely continues conflict and offends nature; it does not heal.” -Confucius |
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