Family Law Mediator in Minnesota
Issues that fall into the category of family law have several things in common. These issues relate to disagreements or conflict between family members. These issues are often extremely complex, painful, longstanding and emotional for all parties. The most common issues that are handled in family law cases include: divorce, child custody, spousal maintenance, child support, guardianship, paternity rights, grandparents’ rights, and protective orders in domestic violence cases. Mediation is a highly effective tool that can be used to resolve a wide range of family law issues
If you and your spouse have decided to hire a divorce mediator to help you settle the terms of your divorce, you probably have a good idea on the issues that need to be resolved. For most couples, the major issues are deciding on a plan for parenting time, deciding how to divide your joint property, assets and debts, and determining whether or not you need to factor spousal or child support into your settlement. Divorce mediation is different than litigation in large part because you are in control of the outcomes. Here are some tips to put yourself in the best possible position for successful divorce mediation:
For many couples, it is hard to think about life after divorce. After investing so many years in your marriage, the focus when the decision is made to end the marriage is on the specifics of the divorce. If you do spend time thinking about what your life will be like after your divorce, these thoughts likely do NOT include your former spouse. However, your divorce is just the beginning of a new phase of your relationship, especially if you have children. Post-divorce mediation is a great tool for managing inevitable conflict that comes up after your divorce is final
One of the most common questions that we are asked by our clients is how long they should expect the divorce mediation process to take. Every divorce is unique, and the settlement process can be different for different couples. In general, you can expect to participate in 3-4 two hour mediation sessions over the course of a few months. This can be a bit shorter or longer depending on the readiness of both parties to resolve the issues and the emotional state of each party. Johnson Mediation focuses on helping you navigate every aspect of the divorce process, from start to finish, so that you can move forward
Divorce mediation has become much more accepted and popular over the last several decades. Many states, including Minnesota actually encourage couples to use mediation or another dispute resolution technique before going through the courts to settle the terms of a divorce. The mediation process is based on the core premise that finding areas of compromise can allow a divorcing couple to make decisions about settling the terms of divorce in a way that are less contentious, less stressful and potentially more positive and productive than litigation.
Concern over the financial impact of a divorce is extremely stressful and may have even caused you to delay this important decision. In addition to dividing all of your joint property you must also think about the money it costs to go through the process. If you proceed through the traditional court system, you can expect to pay up to $15,000 in legal and court fees. Divorce can leave you with additional debt, an impact on your credit score in addition to the emotional toll the process can take. Johnson Mediation can help you and your family look ahead with a focus on you, your family and your future.
For many couples, your relationship does not end when you sign your divorce papers. If you are ready to move forward with your life, you may look to that moment as the end of your relationship, but it can be simply the beginning of a new phase of your relationship. No matter how you settled your divorce and how much conflict was between the two of you, post-divorce mediation can help you manage new issues that come up after your divorce is final. Johnson Mediation specializes in post-divorce mediation for those in the Chanhassen, Minnesota area.
The most common reason to seek help after your divorce has been finalized is that your former spouse is acting in violation of your divorce agreement in some way. If a divorce process has been contentious and filled with conflict, it is not out of the realm of possibility that a former spouse could act spitefully or bitterly and try to make your life more difficult. When divorcing couples work with a qualified divorce mediator, that kind of behavior is less likely because of the emphasis on collaboration, cooperation, and mutual problem solving. However, most circumstances have exceptions, and mediated divorces have been known to result in post-divorce conflict
Co-divorce mediation is a process that uses two different mediators to help resolve issues during the divorce mediation process. Very often, the two mediators’ styles complement each other in some way, using the strengths of each mediator to give a couple the best possible chance of success in the process. Johnson Mediation participates in co-divorce mediation services in Victoria, MN. Jeff is a highly experienced mediator with extensive professional experience in addition to having been through a difficult divorce himself. Jeff’s ultimate goal is to help couples make sound and productive decisions related to issues such as dividing property, child custody and spousal maintenance.
Nearly all divorces are complicated. When you have spent years of your life together as a couple, it can be extremely difficult to separate your possessions, financial assets and to determine a parenting plan (or custody arrangement) for your children. It is a common myth that a complicated and potentially adversarial divorce can only be settled using the court system and litigation. However, even the most complicated divorce can be settled using divorce mediation. Johnson Mediation specializes in offering effective and affordable divorce mediation services, whether your divorce is relatively simple or very complex.
