Mediation and Your Divorce

Mediation-- if you've just received an order directing you to attend mediation as part of your divorce or paternity case, you probably have many questions. You may not be sure what is expected of you, or wonder how you're going to reach an agreement with someone you can't seem to agree with about anything.

Mediation is used in family law to give parties an opportunity to work towards settlement without court intervention. Since the parties know themselves and their family situation better than anyone else, it makes sense for them to sit down and work out a solution. The parties will work with a mediator, who is a neutral third party either appointed by the court or hired privately by the parties. An experienced family law attorney should be able to recommend a mediator with the expertise to sort through your unique issues and assist with forming a settlement.

Through mediation, you may form a partial or complete settlement of the issues in your case. This may include alimony, child support, paternity(if applicable), property distribution, tax issues and retirement. During your mediation session, the mediator will work with you, your attorney, the opposing party and their counsel to reach an agreement on issues that is fair and beneficial to both sides. Whatever is discussed in mediation is completely confidential, so parties can be free to fully engage in the process.

If a settlement is reached at mediation, the mediator will prepare an agreement memorializing the terms. The agreement will then be presented to the judge presiding over your case. If you are unable to reach an agreement, your case will then proceed to trial, where the court will decide the outcome of your case.

If you have further questions about mediation or wish to schedule a appointment to discuss your case, call 904-608-3694 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.