Thinking about the difficult emotions — the feelings of guilt, anger and sadness — associated with a divorce is enough to make many couples delay the process for years. There are also the financial and legal complexities of asset division and child custody decisions that only make the process more difficult.
Because litigating a divorce in family court worsens the above challenges, many spouses finalize their divorces out of court through divorce mediation, which offers numerous advantages over traditional litigation.
How do couples benefit from divorce mediation?
During the divorce mediation process, couples work with a professional — and neutral — mediator. This mediator, who isn’t always an attorney, will have an in-depth understanding of family and divorce law. The mediator will help both sides of the divorce agree on the necessary aspects of bringing their marriages to a close.
As a neutral, third-party, the mediator will not advocate for the wishes and desires of either spouse, but he or she will strive to ensure that both spouses understand and listen to one another. The parties who participate in the mediation will retain their respective divorce attorneys who will advise them of their legal rights during the process.
By mediating your divorce, you may be able to achieve the following advantages:
- Have a better relationship with your ex after divorce.
- Make things easier and more peaceful for yourself and your children.
- Arrive at a finalized divorce agreement faster.
- Reduce the total costs associated with your divorce process.
- Allow both sides to stay in control of the end-result, since they will be the ones who make the final decision rather than a family law court.
- Maintain the privacy of your divorce process.
Is mediation right for you and your spouse?
Although the divorce mediation process comes with a wide variety of benefits, it’s not for all spouses. If you and your soon-to-be ex are not able to agree on anything, going through mediation could be a waste of time. By maintaining an open and diplomatic attitude toward your spouse and your divorce process, you’ll have a better chance of success during your divorce mediation.