How Long Will Divorce Mediation Take?
Mediation is becoming a very popular way to settle the terms of a divorce. In fact, the courts are now strongly encouraging all couples to try mediation first, before moving forward with litigation (traditional court process). This trend is not soon to change as mediation has many benefits, including taking less time (and money) than litigation. Johnson Mediation is a mediation firm that can help you through the divorce process from start to finish using mediation. One of the most common questions we receive about the mediation process is about how long it should take. Here are some things to help guide you on a timeline:
Many of the divorce support and parenting support services that we offer and that are offered by other mediation firms like ours are built on compromise and working together to find a resolution. In fact, this is exactly what mediation means – helping two opposing parties work together to resolve a conflict. These services are highly effective and efficient and can help families make decisions about how to divide property, and how to divide parenting time without a lengthy and costly court battle. However, there are times when you need individualized support through this process as well. You may be able to find that with your family or friend network, but if you think that you could benefit from some individual help from a professional, our divorce coaching service might be right for you.
In the state of Minnesota, when it comes to the divorce process, many assume that you must have a divorce attorney in place to navigate the settlement. That is actually not true. While litigation is certainly an option, the Minnesota courts are actually strongly encouraging couples to try mediation first before a court battle. Divorce mediation does not require divorce attorneys for the process to work. You can work directly with your ex and a trained mediator to settle every aspect of your divorce including dividing joint property and developing a parenting plan and/or custody arrangement
There are countless divorce statistics that you can find online if you do a quick search: Nearly 50% of marriages end in divorce. Over 40% of first marriages end in divorce. Based on data from the US Census, both marriages and divorces are down in the US. Nevada has the highest divorce rate and Illinois has the lowest divorce rate among US states
A divorce is a big decision and very likely one, if not, the biggest decisions you will make in your entire lifetime. When you have made the tough decision to end your marriage, your focus will likely turn to what to do to initiate the process. Johnson Mediation can help you from the very beginning of the divorce process all the way to the final stages. Our team has the knowledge and experience to help you and your family navigate by providing resources, information and guidance. Below, is a list of some concrete things you can do now as you begin the divorce process. For additional advice, just give us a call today.
For better or worse, our world changed in March of 2020 when COVID-19 became known to us all. We have shifted many things from in person to virtual including work, school, conferences, and even doctor’s appointments. Online ordering has increased significantly and for many restaurants take out is now more profitable than eating inside. Divorce mediation is another service that has successfully transitioned from in person to virtual, with very few drawbacks and many important benefits. Johnson Mediation now offers online mediation sessions that can settle the terms of your divorce without any in person contact
As our COVID infection rates seem to be trending downward and we finally seem to be heading toward the end of mask mandates, we are beginning to evaluate things that should return to “normal” and things that may not need to. For example, we can all probably agree that our kids need to be in person in school. But we may also continue to use the convenient drive-thru pick up options for our groceries. COVID has changed our world and our perspective, and it is somewhat exciting to think that we can use what we have learned during the last two years to make certain processes more efficient and straightforward.
Preparing for divorce comes in many forms. You need to prepare emotionally, logistically and also consider tasks that you need to complete for the divorce process to begin. One thing that you can do now to prepare for the divorce process is to gather the important documents that you will need to settle the terms of your divorce whether you proceed via mediation or litigation.
One of the most commonly asked questions about the divorce process is whether or not you need to hire a divorce attorney to represent you during the process. The answer may surprise you – you actually do *not* need to hire an attorney for your divorce if you decide to use mediation to settle the terms of your divorce. Working with a divorce mediation service is highly effective and is, in fact, recommended by the Minnesota court system at this time because of long court scheduling delays. You can handle all aspects of a divorce settlement from child custody issues to how to equitably divide your joint property with the help of a mediator.
