What is Divorce Mediation and Is It Right for You?

Are you going through the process of a divorce right now and looking to make it run as smoothly as possible? Are you worried about going to court and having your children and loved ones dragged through a long and ugly trial? 

If you wish to leave on amicable terms without too many cutthroat negotiations, then consider getting a divorce mediation. In this process, you would hire a divorce mediator, who can come in as an objective party and help you both reach a consensus. 

It’s a great way to keep things civil during divorce and get things moving faster. Keep reading to find out what is divorce mediation, what the advantages of divorce mediation are, and why you need to get a divorce mediation attorney asap.

What Is Divorce Mediation?

In divorce mediation, both parties will meet with a court-appointed third party. This third-party divorce mediator will work with both sides to negotiate a successful resolution to the divorce. By using this objective third party, couples who were unable to come to any sort of resolution before can come to agreements upon child custody, and discuss and clear up any old festering issues.

Coming to a feasible compromise that suits both parties might be hard to achieve without a third party in between. Most couples spend way too much time, money, and energy fighting over issues that could be resolved if they used a divorce mediator.

If you are sick and tired of the bickering, fighting, and back-and-forth, and you wish that you could just move on from this bitter episode in your life, then hire a divorce mediation attorney today.

How Does It Work Exactly?

The first thing you need to do when hiring a mediator is to go through the divorce mediation checklist below. 

• Create a list of all the issues that you are currently fighting over and that need resolution
• Figure out what a fair outcome for each of these issues would be for you
• Some of the main issues mediators work with – child support, spousal support, retirement accounts, division of marital property, and debt
• If you are looking to receive income post-divorce, create a budget for your life after divorce so you can get a fair outcome
• Always put your children first, especially when it comes to divorce mediation
• Think win-win situations for both parties, rather than win-lose, which is usually why divorce ends up being such a long and resentful process

Once you have all your ducks in a row, you can go into the divorce mediation proceedings with a lighter heart. It will help you run through the process faster and get to a successful resolution easier. No one wants to spend months or god forbid, years, on a divorce. 

What Are Its Advantages And Disadvantages?

Even though divorce mediation is a great way to find a resolution to tough issues in a divorce, it has both pros and cons. Let’s look at them below.

Pros

The most important advantage of divorce mediation has to be the objectivity that a mediator brings into the situation. Before that, tempers run high, and emotions flare up at the drop of a hat. It can feel like you are never going to come to a resolution because each party has so many underlying agendas and motivations that are never presented openly.

Another great outcome of divorce mediation is that both parties can air their grievances to a third party and get it out of their system. This allows them to feel like they have been heard and helps them to let go of the past and move forward. This can bring closure into the relationship which causes the divorce proceedings to move ahead faster.

Not only that but divorce mediations are confidential. This means no one outside the three people involved will know anything about what went on in those closed rooms. There’s no court reporter, or judge and jury snooping on your private issues. 

All this means that you can save time, money, energy, and gain fair treatment from the divorce mediator since they have no stake in the issue. They gain or lose nothing from your divorce.

Cons

If you lived in an abusive or toxic situation, getting a mediator might be a disadvantage for you, as it will put you on the same playing field as your spouse. This means past behaviors will not be taken into consideration while mediating, and that can set you up for failure. Mediation is all about the future and that means the full picture of your abusive history can get brushed under the rug.

With divorce mediation, it’s easier for a spouse to hide assets and other financial information. This is because it isn’t a legal trial and there’s no pretrial discovery process. If you are sure that your spouse is hiding substantial financial assets from you, then consider going to court and holding a trial instead of using divorce mediation services. 

Find a Divorce Mediation Attorney That Suits Your Needs

After reading through the article above, maybe you have concluded that divorce mediation is exactly what you need for your situation. If you reside in Denver or Los Angeles, then consider contacting Duncan Family Law to find the best divorce mediation attorney for you.

Holly and Nicole Duncan are more than happy to give you a free 15-minute consultation to see if they are a fit for your needs. You deserve exceptional family law representation. And they can help you get practical solutions to your issues, by moving past emotional barriers, and resolving your divorce quickly and painlessly. 

It’s time for you to move into your bright future.