Divorce may not be an inherently pleasant process, but it does not mean to be a miserable battle either. You and your ex have the power to take control over your divorce and decide what happens and how you handle the process.
Litigation or contested divorce is only one of several ways that you can end your marriage. In recent years, divorce mediation has become a popular alternative to litigation. Could mediation be the right solution for you in your upcoming divorce?
How divorce mediation works
Mediation is about mutual agreement and, therefore, compromise. To protect yourself from manipulation or an unfair outcome, having your own attorney present is important. Both spouses with their individual lawyers work with a neutral mediator.
A professional mediator will help you go over issues from your marriage and concerns about the divorce with a focus on compromise and resolution. In high-conflict cases, mediation does not necessarily require you to be in the same room. Mediators can facilitate resolutions even when couples don’t want to sit together face-to-face.
You don’t have to be happy with each other. You just have to be willing to work together and to compromise on at least some of the terms that you set for property division, support or child custody.
Why people choose mediation
Divorce mediation may not be the best solution in extremely contentious divorces or marriages that have had abuse issues in the past, but it works well for many others. Couples with children often choose mediation so that the conflict from their divorce stays as minimal as possible. When parents have already resolved custody matters before court proceedings, children won’t have to speak with the judge about their preferences or witness acrimonious fighting between their parents.
Couples with significant assets may also find mediation invaluable during a divorce. Mediation can make it easier to divide your assets and arrange for support with greater nuance and consideration of your specific family needs. Other reasons that people choose mediation include privacy, keeping costs low or trying to speed up the dissolution process.
Considering mediation as you think about filing for divorce can help you pursue the best approach to this difficult but worthwhile process.
