What to Know About the Divorce Mediation Process

Families divorcing, especially couples with young children, find that the actions of a relationship breakup can be extremely difficult to tolerate. Mediaite reports that 93% of divorcing parents tried an alternative dispute resolution method. With more than half of first marriages ending in divorce and an even higher percentage of second marriages doing so, it can feel overwhelming and exhausting to pursue divorce proceedings in court. Especially when the divorce is simply a dissolution, with no significant ill feelings between the members of the relationship. A divorce mediation service is an alternative to divorce in court that can preserve the relationship that still exists between two people who are splitting up. Just as importantly, it can spare parents, friends, siblings, and children the stress of watching their loved ones fight before a judge.

What Is Divorce Mediation?

In a mediated divorce, two people going through a divorce mediation service are helped by an impartial third party to reach an agreement that they both can accept. In a mediated divorce, the mediator will be the person who helps people talk through the issues in a way that makes it easier, most times, for the couple to accept and settle the dispute. Unlike a judge, mediators do not make decisions. The decisions in a mediated divorce are mutual between the former partners.

How Long Does a Mediated Divorce Take?

Divorce mediation is a relatively quick process. While a traditionally litigated divorce can be months or even years of legal maneuvering, a divorce mediation service generally works swiftly to conclude issues. With partners dissolving their relationship in good faith, mediated divorce can be completed in as few as four to eight two-hour sessions, during which the issues of property and custody are worked out. Mediation can be in your children’s best interests, as it minimizes the conflict between their parents.

What Are The Down Sides of Mediation?

In a mediated divorce, there is no legal counsel present. In cases where there is a significant or difficult property to split, such as a home whose value is in question, the mediator has neither legal authority nor the ability to advise. Your best interests may be compromised if the other party to the marriage is unwilling to listen to the divorce mediation service.

Mediated divorce can be a positive, family-reaffirming alternative. Contact our mediation service today if you are considering the step of a divorce.