Divorce Mediation
Stay out of court and hammer out your differences with current or former family members through third-party mediation.
Many family law attorneys agree: Instead of leaving the outcome of your case in the hands of a judge, divorce mediation can be a win-win for all parties, including your children.
What Is Mediation?
In Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and DC, mediation is an out-of-court process that uses a neutral third-party mediator—a sort of “legal referee”—to help two parties agree on major decisions. A mediation can happen in a single session or continue over several sessions. And, if it doesn’t work, you can have a hearing in front of a judge. Since 1992, we’ve been a part of countless divorce mediations and trials. Schedule a free consultation with us by calling (888) JCLaw-10 or send an email.
You may have heard of divorce mediation as the way to handle your divorce, and it might very well be what leads you to resolve yours, even if it’s a complex divorce case with major property division and child custody issues. But both parties must come to the table ready to talk. If that happens, real progress can be made.
For divorces, the parties involved would be you and your former spouse. The mediator can be a lawyer, such as our firm, or another professional mediator. They can help identify priorities and possible compromises.
Mediation can work out solutions for many divorce arrangements, including:
How Can Mediation Help My Divorce?
Mediations preserve relationships with your former spouse and with any children who may be involved.
After all, kids notice tension and conflict between their parents. Resolving disagreements through mediation protects the parent-child bond by taking potential arguments into a safe, confidential space.
Mediation also streamlines divorce proceedings by avoiding a lengthy (and expensive) court trial. That way, you and your loved ones can move past this part of your life and into the next!
Here’s how divorce mediation can work for you:
- Reduce stress—Just the word “divorce” can cause great stress on a family. But of all the ways to resolve a divorce case, mediation is one of the least stressful.
- Save money—It’s no secret that divorce can be expensive. Mediation is generally less costly than litigation. If you can resolve your case at this stage, you save money.
- Spare your children heartache—Like it or not, divorce is tough on children. But it can be made less so with divorce mediation, which is far less adversarial than litigation, reducing conflict.
- Have more control—The family law judge usually orders divorce mediation before hearing the case in court in an attempt to get the parties to resolve outstanding issues without the added time and expense of a trial. Whether or not divorce mediation is offered by a judge, you manage the risks in divorce mediation. You control the outcome. You can discuss the issues that matter to you, whether or not they would matter to a judge.
When it comes down to solving problems, divorce mediation is one of the best avenues of dispute resolution—but you should consult with a family law attorney to make sure it’s right for you.
Is Mediation An Option For My Family?
Not every divorce needs a long, bitter fight in court. Sometimes, a divorcing couple just needs a neutral party in the room to hash out final decisions.
While divorce mediation isn’t for everyone, especially spouses leaving abusive relationships, we recommend clients consider mediation if they:
- Want a peaceful and “fair” resolution
- Want to maintain relationships after the divorce for family harmony
- Can’t come to an agreement on their own
- Would prefer to avoid a long and expensive court trial
- Don’t want a judge to decide “for” them
Contact Us Today
Divorce mediation works. And if it doesn’t, there’s always court. For a free consultation, call us at (888) JCLaw-10 or send us an email.
