8 Reasons to Mediate Your Divorce
Experiencing a divorce is an incredibly difficult time in anyone’s life. The entire process can take many months (or even years) and takes a significant emotional toll on everyone involved. Litigation is costly, and the longer the ordeal takes, the more stressful, expensive, and harrowing divorce becomes. Even more ideally couples will engage in premarital financial mediation That’s where divorce mediation comes in as an alternative. Mediation is less expensive, less public (in fact it’s confidential and private) and, more amiable, and most sessions result in a mutually agreeable resolution for both parties. Take a look at some of the proven benefits of divorce mediation.
California Amicable Divorce Benefits
- Mediation is much less expensive than a court trial or a series of hearings.
- Most mediations end in a settlement of all the issues in your divorce.
- Mediation is 100% confidential – with no public record of what goes on in your sessions, unlike litigation.
- Mediation allows you to arrive at a resolution based on your ideas of what is fair in your situation, rather than having a solution imposed by a judge based on rigid and impersonal legal principles.
- Both parties still have the option to hire a lawyer if they choose.
- You and your spouse – not the court – control the process and determine the schedule.
- Mediation offers the ability to try different arrangements before signing the final agreement.
- The mediation process can improve communication between you and your spouse, helping to avoid future conflicts.
All that’s required to make a divorce mediation successful is for both people to show up willing to negotiate and open to compromise. It allows both parties the opportunity to work through their emotions, figure out what’s best for their situation, and reach an amicable conclusion. Don’t automatically reject mediation because you and your partner see certain issues very differently – it’s a powerful process, and many cases that may seem impossible to resolve end with a mutually beneficial settlement after the mediation process. Furthermore, opting for mediation is just good business due to the benefits associated with the process.
Mediation covers a wide range of issues, including everything that litigation seeks to address: financial and property (assets, liability, income) issues; parenting arrangements (child’s best interests, child support); and planning for the future. Negotiating agreements is never a simple process, and like any undertaking, will take some time – but the mediator’s job is to help each party stay on track and brainstorm options, as well as encourage both individuals to voice their opinions and listen to each other most constructively.
The mediation process seeks to mitigate the adversarial aspects that come with typical litigation and multiple hearings, but it’s not for everyone. If you and your partner are looking for a more amicable, cooperative, and solution-driven way to complete your divorce, then mediation may be the right path for you. And we encourage you to call Scott F. Levin Esq and his team at 858-255-1321. You can also contact San Diego Divorce lawyers to learn more with a free consultation.