Mediation in Divorce
“How to divorce?” is unfortunately a common question. Although it can be a tough situation, litigation is not the only answer. Many people are unaware that mediation is not only an alternative, but statistics show that by a large margin, divorcing couples are greatly more satisfied compared to couples who decide to take their divorce directly to court.
Comprehensive mediation for divorcing couples is a program that is designed for couples that are somewhat amicable, but want to seek professional help to make informed decisions about important issues and concerns such as negotiating property, taxes, retirement funds, child custody, and child support.
Because you may not have ever expected to be in the midst of a divorce, you may never have given much thought to the various options for settling a divorce. We are all aware of the statistic that approximately 50% of marriages end in divorce, but when we said our vows and pondered a future, divorce was simply not in the picture. So, if you have found yourself in a situation in which divorce looks like your reality, you might need some help and support to navigate the process.
Most divorcing couples assume that disputes over divorces must be decided in Court by a Judge, but family disputes are ideally settled between family members before they reach a courtroom. Mediation settlements are better than going to court for many reasons. Mediation settlements are likely to be more satisfactory in the long run because the solution is mutually-agreeable, and has been proven to be more satisfactory in past surveys in the United States. The mediator can model and facilitate better communication that may continue after mediation, the lines of communication are extremely important and need to continue to be open if you have children together. Attorneys often can be very helpful in settling disputes out of court. But when they are in court the decision process is out of the best interest of the couple and is ultimately decided by a judge after sometimes a lethal fight. When children are involved with divorce and separation, the stakes are even higher. Mediation allows control to remain in the hands of the parents, not the Court.
The Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE), was started in Minnesota several years ago in one county and has been adopted throughout many parts of the state. It is considered one of the norms when deciding custody for divorcing parents.
The experienced staff at Johnson Mediation can help you navigate even the most complicated, difficult and high conflict divorce. One of the most common hesitations for pursuing mediation as a tool for divorce is the concern about their divorce being too complicated. Mediation participants can actually collaborate with many experts during the process, including attorneys, accountants, and financial planners to help couples successfully divide their property, assets and debts and come up with a parenting plan that works for both parties. There is no divorce too complicated for mediation and you will likely find this process can yield a more positive and productive outcome than an intense, long and expensive court battle.
