Over the last several years, the courts in Minnesota have started to require that couples attempt an alternative dispute resolution service like divorce mediation before moving forward with litigation. You may wonder why the courts are trying to push couples away from the traditional court system. Here are some of the reasons:
1. Effectiveness: Mediation is highly effective, even for divorce cases that are complicated. Mediation can be successful at resolving all aspects of a divorce including child custody, division of joint property and spousal maintenance and child support. The mediation process takes less time than a court battle and ultimately the agreements made in mediation have a better chance of lasting long term than a settlement determined by a judge.
2. Less expensive: Mediation is less expensive than litigation and as a result causes less stress than a long and difficult court battle. You can expect to spend between two to ten times more with litigation than mediation.
3. Scheduling: The main reason that litigation takes so much longer than mediation to complete is because of how backed up the schedules are with the courts. When you schedule litigation, you have to align the calendars of both sets of attorneys as well as a judge/court dates. Mediation can be scheduled much more easily and can be completed in a matter of 6-8 weeks, rather than 6-9 months or more.
4. Confidentiality: You can try mediation and know that everything that you say to your mediator is entirely confidential and cannot be called as a witness in the event you still need to go to court.
5. Online/virtual options: Many divorce mediators offer virtual options for mediation sessions, which can be extremely appealing to couples who are juggling work, kids and busy schedules. Virtual mediation services became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to be a viable option for couples in Minnesota.
Choosing A Divorce Mediator In Minnesota
It is important to note that if you have a history of spousal abuse, you are not required to begin the process with divorce mediation. Johnson Mediation specializes in helping families navigate the divorce process without having to go through the court system. We offer virtual services, affordable pricing and easy scheduling. In addition, we can provide you with a free consultation so that you can ask questions and make sure that our team is a good fit for your situation. If mediation is unsuccessful, you are always welcome to try litigation to resolve the outstanding issues. For more information about our divorce mediation services, give us a call at 952-401-7599.
