Why Minnesota Courts Encourage Divorce Mediation
Divorce is a sad reality faced by millions of couples in the United States every year. It may be hard to believe that some couples still use the court systems of our country to facilitate the end of their marriages, but it does still happen. In spite of the increased accessibility of divorce mediation and the endorsement of mediation by the Minnesota courts, some couples’ circumstances still require use of the adversarial system of the court system. Before you assume that you fit into that category, you should make sure that mediation is not an option for you.
Divorce tends to make your life feel chaotic and out of control. As a result, it can be difficult to even see that there is an option for settling the important aspect of your divorce that is NOT a long and expensive court battle. This alternative is divorce mediation. Divorce mediation is a specialty of Johnson Mediation. We work closely with local couples who have decided to end their marriages, guiding them toward finding equitable and fair solutions to issues that have led them to this important decision.
It is no surprise that divorce is considered one of the most stressful life events. In fact, it is widely considered one of the five most stressful life events, and it can even compromise your immune system and impact your body and your health in other ways. However, it is possible to resolve the terms of your divorce and reduce the overall stress of the process. Partnering with a divorce mediator can make navigating the divorce process less stressful for you and your entire family.
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.
