The Upsides of Divorce Mediation
No couple wishes to go through a divorce, as it’s emotionally, psychologically, and financially draining. However, sometimes getting a divorce is the only solution, but it doesn’t have to be decided in a family court. Having a divorce mediated is an alternative way to settle your divorce, and it has many advantages over a litigated divorce.
Let’s dig in and find out why divorce mediation is the better option.
1. Divorce Mediation Yields a Win-Win Solution
In an adversarial divorce, the outcomes are not always fair because the divorcing couple is not in total control of the divorce proceedings. The family court will decide and issue an order that you and your spouse will have to follow. About 53% of divorced couples are not usually satisfied with the eventual outcomes of their litigated divorce.
Conversely, having a divorce mediated will lead to a better outcome because you and your spouse will be actively involved in the process. A divorce mediator facilitates the process and helps the divorcing couple settle their issues more amicably. The top divorce mediators find creative ways to conduct mediation so that the process is more effective and void of anger and resentment.
A mediator helps the divorcing couple to approach their marital issues with a give and take attitude. As a result, couples agree on property settlement, spousal support, and parenting schedules. The result is a more conflict-free divorce settlement with input from the two spouses.
2. Divorce Mediation Saves You Time and Money
In the United States, the average cost of a litigated divorce ranges from $15,000 to about $42,500. It takes about 11 months, on average, to get a final court judgment on your divorce and around 18 months if your case goes to trial. During a divorce, couples are already in financial constraints because of the inconveniences brought about by separation. As such, it makes sense to seek ways of decreasing divorce expenses.
Good thing divorce mediation services cost less than adversarial divorce. Couples who have their divorce mediated can save up to 40% on divorce costs. It also takes less time for divorce meditation to complete. As long as you and your spouse are dedicated to completing the process, you’ll not have many legal hurdles that will hold up your divorce settlement.
3. Divorce Mediation Protects the Children
Usually, children are the biggest casualty of a divorce, especially a high-conflict divorce. The emotional trauma of your children is escalated when your divorce plays out in the public. Since divorce records are public records, all your dirty linen may be washed in public, especially if you’re an influential person in society. This will cause you, your spouse, and your children extra emotional and psychological trauma.
On the contrary, mediation proceedings are private records between a couple and the mediator. This ensures that your private matters remain discreet. More importantly, your divorce mediator will advise you on the best way to disclose your divorce to your kids. It’s crucial for your children’s psychological well-being that you choose an appropriate moment to inform them about your divorce and explain to them what will happen after the divorce. This will reduce the emotional and psychological trauma that kids suffer during and after a divorce.
When you have decided to divorce your partner, the only thing left is to seek an amicable way to settle your divorce. Divorce mediation is the fair, affordable, less time-consuming, and agreeable process of divorcing your partner. Having a divorce mediated is an effective conflict-resolution process for divorcing couples.
Having a divorce mediated takes less time and resources and gives you and your partner control over the divorce settlement. You don’t want the major decisions of your life such as child custody and financing to be decided in a family court. When you seek divorce mediation services, a professional divorce mediator will help you and your spouse to agree on a reasonable settlement, which is fair to your children, too.