So you’re getting a divorce. But, are you finding that you and your soon-to-be ex can’t agree on anything? Sometimes a neutral third party is required to help you work out things like child custody or splitting of the assets.
Here’s what happens if you need to go through divorce mediation. The court will appoint a third party who will sit down with you, your attorney, your spouse, and his or her attorney. The mediator will discuss any issues that arise and clear up any disagreements so you can come to a mutually agreed-upon settlement of any given issue.
The mediator’s job is to be completely objective. He (or she) will not be forcing his opinions on anyone, but rather will just be trying to help you work towards a compromise in whatever issues come up during mediation.
Benefits of Mediation
* Takes less time and will save you money. The use of mediation can mean you won’t have to go to court and have a judge decide on things. You will come to an agreement with your mediator and avoid having to go through a long and costly trial – if it works, that is.
* Keeps things fair. Since a mediator is a neutral third party who stands to gain absolutely nothing whether you win or lose, he will be better able to see areas where you can solve problems without the emotions that can come up between couples who are divorcing.
* Everything is confidential. There is no court reporter during mediation and the mediator doesn’t keep his notes from mediation. So you can be assured of your privacy during mediation.
* You won’t have a long drawn-out litigation if you can come to an agreement with a mediator. These are all things which save you time and money as already mentioned, but even beyond that it will likely save you more pain and heartache as well.
* You will be in control of your own divorce. Not leaving things up to chance with a judge and lawyers if you use a mediator, you have more opportunity to get the things you want – especially if you’re willing to do a little give and take.
* There is less conflict when you go through mediation. Mediators are great at seeing a resolution to every situation and can curb that conflict so everyone gets something that they want in the divorce, or even need in some instances.
* Mediation can help you work out a way to lower your tax bill. And let’s face it – in divorce every dollar counts. If you can find a way to save money, then why not take it?
Divorce is never an ideal situation, but often times it’s a very necessary one. You want to get through it with as little financial drain as possible and as little arguing as possible. Using a mediator can often be the fastest and cheapest way to get what you will be able to live with in a divorce. So it’s definitely something you will want to utilize if you’re struggling to come to an agreement in your divorce.
