If you and your spouse have decided divorce is your best path forward, you may be spending time exploring your options for how best to settle the many important issues, like child custody, child/spousal support and how to divide the joint assets, property (and debt). Divorce mediation is an effective tool that many couples use in the Minnesota area who want to settle their divorce without a lengthy and costly court battle. Johnson Mediation specializes in divorce mediation services and can help you and our family navigate the divorce process in an efficient, positive and productive way.
Role of a Mediator
A trained mediator serves as a neutral third party in the divorce process, facilitating discussion about the issues that you and your divorcing spouse have determined are important. It is important to note that a mediator does not make decisions for you and your soon to be ex-spouse. Instead, a mediator will empower the two of you to have discussions that can help move important and difficult issues forward, toward a resolution that works for all involved.
What to Expect For Your Divorce Mediation Sessions
The mediation process is fairly simple, and emphasizes compromise rather than conflict, which is inherently a part of the court system. Couples generally meet with a mediator for several 2 hour sessions (3-4 sessions over the course of 2-3 months). The divorcing couple and the mediator agree on the important issues that need to be resolved and decide what specific information needs to be gathered and then shared with the other party. This information may be financial, including projected costs for child care, extracurricular activities, budget related items as well as information about how shared property is valued. Accountants, appraisers and lawyers can be a part of this process.
The mediator helps keep the discussions on track and productive, and can provide important information to the divorcing couple about the court system as well as common ways issues are generally resolved via mediation. At the conclusion of the process, the mediator reviews and documents the agreements that have been made so that the participants and their attorneys (if applicable) can file with the court.
Experienced Divorce Mediator
Johnson Mediation can help you and your divorcing spouse with the mediation from start to finish. Mediation is generally less expensive and takes less time than a court battle, is entirely confidential and allows for more creative solutions and a tailored approach. For more information, call our team at (952) 401-7599.