Can a Mediator Make Decisions in my Divorce?
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.
The pandemic changed so many aspects of our daily life. Even now that hospitalizations and deaths are down and we have moved forward, many things that were implemented during that time period have stayed with us. For example, many of us still work primarily from home and many of us still do curbside pickup for our groceries. During the pandemic, our mediation firm moved all of our cases online, rather than conducting in person sessions in order to minimize the spread of the virus. Now that we are (for the most part) on the other side, we are in a position to take any of the positive changes
