If you’re staring down divorce and wondering what’s to come, there’s nothing wrong with taking a step back to analyze your situation. You may soon find that divorce mediation is all you need to work through your problems and finally put your marriage in the past.
Here are some of the many divorce mediation questions you should answer before pushing forward:
- What is the role of a divorce mediator? This person acts as a neutral party to help both individuals resolve issues, such as those related to child custody, spousal support and property division. A mediator is not the same as a family law judge.
- How many sessions does it take to complete the process? There is no easy answer to this question, as it depends largely on the willingness of both sides to compromise. One thing you can expect is for most sessions to last somewhere in the range of one to two hours.
- Do you still have to appear in court? The nice thing about divorce mediation is that you are not required to appear in court at any point. As long as you work everything out in mediation, there is no reason to make a court appearance.
- Is divorce mediation cheaper than litigation? Generally speaking, yes. Not to mention the fact that mediation is often faster, thus allowing you to get back to your normal life as soon as possible.
- Do you need an attorney during divorce mediation? It’s not required, but most people find that consulting with an attorney allows them to make the best possible decisions.
- Is there ever a case that is too complicated for mediation? Regardless of how complicated your divorce may be, you can work everything out in mediation. It may take longer, but the opportunity to succeed is there.
- What happens if you can’t agree on everything? If, for any reason, you can’t work things out in mediation, you’ll need to take your case to court.
On the surface, you may have some reservations about divorce mediation. Even if you’re not sure of what’s to come, you need to learn more about the process. When you combine knowledge of divorce mediation with an understanding of what you hope to accomplish, you’re in position to achieve success.