The benefits of using divorce mediation

A divorce is often synonymous with stress. The closer a person's divorce case gets to court, the more powerless and helpless they tend to feel. The court is time-consuming, expensive, and a judge decides the outcome rather than the individuals going through the divorce. However, it's entirely possible for the parties involved to have control over the process through divorce mediation.

The ultimate alternative dispute resolution

Divorce mediation provides an opportunity for both parties to work with a divorce mediator to resolve all disputes outside of a courtroom setting. What does a divorce mediator do? They enable the parties to work together without having to fear the pressure of the litigation process. Since divorce mediation takes place outside the courtroom, the environment is less formal and therefore less stressful. It allows the opportunity to discuss alternative dispute resolution ideas and consider them as viable options.

Why should couples going through a separation/divorce consider mediation?

In a contested divorce, lawyers and judges battle for resolve, and there’s no guarantee that either party will like the outcome. In mediation, however, both parties can have a say, negotiate as well as make a compromise for the best possible outcome. Divorce mediation is also good for any children that are involved. Mediation greatly minimizes the overall impact on the children as both parties work together keeping the best interest of the children in mind. A good divorce mediator can assist in making the transition to co-parenting much more manageable and smoother. Some other advantages of divorce mediation are:

• When it comes to divorce mediation, there’s much less stress on the couple, as it’s more likely that a fair outcome will be reached.
• The process is much less expensive and less extensive than having to go through a contested divorce in court.
• It’s extremely time- efficient. Most mediation processes can be completed in months. Whereas it can take years to finalize a divorce through the court system, resulting in extremely high legal fees, not to mention increased stress and the inability to move forward with one's life.

Divorce or separation agreement items that are typically considered during mediation:

• alimony, child custody, child support
• health insurance, a division of assets, debt and taxes

Requisites of a good divorce mediator

A good divorce mediator is one who is trained in the art of conflict resolution and carries around many skills, including negotiation, a comprehensive understanding of legal divorce proceedings, and the ability to work with any human dynamic. A good divorce mediator should also have the unique ability to encourage parties to start thinking outside the box and show them the best possible way to approach the divorce and work amicably.

Divorce will never be an easy process. However, using mediation for child support difficulties and other separation challenges provides you with a better, less painful, less expensive alternative to the usual divorce litigation process.