When it comes to family law, people often prefer to handle things themselves instead of going through a full legal proceeding to parse out all the details. In that case, mediation can be a helpful path. A mediator acts as a neutral third party to encourage amicable agreements.
Here are a few signs divorce mediation is a good choice for you:
- You want an informal process. It can be daunting to bring issues around divorce and family law through a formal court proceeding. If you would rather keep the process more informal, a mediator can be the way to go.
- You are both in favor of settling the case. If you are both willing to compromise on the details of your divorce, you might not need a lengthy (and costly) court proceeding. This is often the biggest sticking point in divorce mediation. If you and your ex-partner can come to an agreement over the division of assets, child custody, and other details, you’ll pave the way for an uncontested divorce. If you can’t, you’ll need the intervention of attorneys and a more formal process.
- You both want more control over the process. One major advantage of divorce mediation is having control over the details. For example, you can come to a unique agreement over child custody that works for your co-parenting situation and schedule instead of having to follow a standard court-ordered custody agreement.
- You want to maintain confidentiality. Family law often deals with private details, and this is certainly true in divorce proceedings. Mediation is a confidential process, allowing you to keep your privacy. You forfeit some of that confidentiality when you go through a formal court proceeding to iron out the details.