Benefits of Mediation in 2024
2024 is finally here and many of us have made New Year’s resolutions or maybe just some broad goals to strive for in the new year. Whether your goals include exercise, improved health, interpersonal improvements, mindfulness, commitment to reducing time on your phone, there is likely at least one theme of most of our new year’s goals – peace. Relaxing, reducing conflict in your life and self-care all contribute to finding that peace in the new year. Johnson Mediation believes that the services that we provide can help you and your family find peace in certain situations. If you have made the very difficult
When you decide to use divorce mediation to resolve the terms of your divorce, it is critically important to understand the role of the mediator. A mediator is not like a judge in a divorce case. While a judge hears both sides of a legal argument and makes a determination. Mediation is entirely voluntary, and a mediator does not render a verdict in your case. Instead, your mediator will facilitate a series of discussions that will empower the two parties to come to a decision together. Here are some key elements of the role of a mediator when it comes to the divorce process
When it comes to the legal divorce process, every state is a bit different. It is important to understand the divorce law in your state so that you can plan accordingly and make informed decisions. Minnesota is a no-fault state, meaning that you do not have to establish that your spouse did something wrong in order to qualify for divorce. You can simply state that you have an irretrievable breakdown in the marriage. This is important because it means that a divorce will be approved even if only one party wants it. In addition, as a no-fault state, the court does not make decisions about custody, division of property or spousal maintenance based on whether one spouse was at fault in the dissolution of the marriage.
The traditional divorce process pits you and your ex against each other, with opposing lawyers trying to outmaneuver the other. For many divorcing couples, the traditional court process means more conflict, more stress (both financial and emotional) and fewer opportunities to work toward a common goal keeping your family first. The team at Johnson Mediation works with couples in Minnesota to offer an alternative to the traditional divorce process. Here are a few of the downsides to the traditional divorce process:
When you and your spouse decide to divorce, you are not only making this big decision for you, but you are also making it for your entire family – including your kids. Kids do not have much (if any) say in this decision but are affected significantly. Deciding how to communicate with them about the upcoming change related to divorce is a critical step in the process of helping them cope. Below are some tips for communicating calmly and effectively with your children of all ages about divorce:
Once you make the decision to divorce, you have another significant decision to make – what process to follow to settle and finalize your divorce. As you weigh your three main options: doing it yourself, using divorce mediation, or going through the traditional court system (litigation). Below we have outlined the pros and cons of divorce mediation so you can decide if it is right for you.
