Northbrook Divorce Mediators: Giving the Couple Facing Divorce the Power to Make Life-changing Decisions
Divorce mediation has been gaining prominence over the years. Divorce litigation has often been quite stressful and expensive. Trained Northbrook divorce mediators are now helping many couples reach the best agreements in a cost effective and time efficient way. They have significantly minimized instances of adversarial divorces and unnecessary court appearances.
What Divorce Mediators Do?
Divorce mediation is an out of court discussion among Northbrook couples seeking a peaceful and cost effective divorce process. Most divorce mediation must be voluntary, but some can be ordered by the court, and they are 100% confidential. The process is structured to cover all the typical divorce issues. The agreement reached must be in line with common local laws and must be acceptable to the Court.
How the Process Working with Divorce Mediators Is Carried Out
Couples choose their mediator on the basis of training, experience, background, and cost. The mediator then facilitates confidential face-to-face meetings between the concerned parties. Divorce mediators are trained to handle issues of decision making, schedules, division of assets and debts, etc. They maintain an open and safe setting for the couple to negotiate.
The mediator should never give legal advise, nor their personal opinion to either party, and must remain impartial. However, they will explain to the couple how the legal system works when couples mediate and offer experience based and professional opinions based on their level of knowledge on each topic.
The spouses then discuss the tentative issues and negotiate their settlements. They try to work collaboratively and focus on what is best for their family vs. what is best for them as an individual. They are at the center of the discussion and have total control over all decisions being made. They are the decision makers and all agreements reached are made by them. Unless it’s a court-ordered mediation, either party can walk away if unhappy with the facilitator’s style and approach to the negotiation process.
Why Consider Using Divorce Mediators Versus Northbrook Divorce Lawyers.
Divorce is often messy, expensive and time consuming. Spouses are facing divorce risk airing out the proverbial dirty linen in public. Divorce litigation is an ordeal no one wants to be part of. Northbrook Divorce Mediators aim to reduce the unnecessary drama while protecting the couple’s privacy. Divorce mediation has the following other benefits over divorce litigation:
- The Average Cost of Divorce Mediation Is Marginally Lower. Even for low-conflict divorces, litigation is quite expensive.Divorce mediation is the cheaper option.
- Mediated Divorces are finalized faster than litigated ones. On average, divorces that seek divorce mediation take three to six months from the day they start mediation to the day they are divorced. On the other hand, litigated divorces are on average finalized 12-18 months later. The couple can also predict the outcome of their divorce mediation.
What Are the Steps in Mediation?
- Introductory Remarks -The spouses meet their mediator for a briefing, goal setting and reflection.
- Statement of the Problem-Both spouses get time to tell their story.
- Information Gathering / Problem Identification – The mediator asks questions to ascertain common goals and solvable issues.
- Generating Options – The divorce mediator will develop options and potential solutions. The mediator may also hold private sessions with each spouse. The caucus is confidential and meant for faster resolution.
Divorce mediation works best for spouses willing to compromise and reach agreements for their entire family. Northbrook divorce mediators are neutral and can not issue orders like a judge nor tell you what you should do like attorneys do. Every agreement in mediation is decided upon by the parties. Both parties in a Northbrook divorce mediation must realize the need compromise and empathize. The sessions must also remain comfortable and safe to all. Divorce mediation may fail to work if there are issues of intimidation, abuse, violence, major fighting, substance abuse and alcoholism. It may also fail if one partner declines invitations to negotiate or refuses to reach agreements unless the agreements are the ones they want.
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