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.
Neutral Third-Party Leading Divorce Discussions
It is important to understand the role of a divorce mediator in this process. A mediator does not act as your attorney, but instead is a neutral third party that can facilitate a discussion between two parties with the goal of a compromise and resolution. Your mediator will have special training to facilitate positive and productive discussion about all issues that you need to resolve. A mediator is going to be able to keep you and your ex focused on the goal of mediation, which is to resolve the terms of your divorce so that you do not have to fight it out in court. Mediation is far less expensive, less stressful and takes less time than a traditional divorce.
Some of the strategies that a mediator will use to keep the conversation and dialogue on track, timely and calm include the following:
● Giving each party uninterrupted time to speak
● Asking a party to re-explain an issue that might not have been clear to the other party
● Asking specific questions to highlight a point or make something more clear
● Reiterating goals for each mediation session when necessary, throughout the meeting so that the conversation stays on point.
Minnesota Divorce Mediator
Your mediator will not make decisions about your case. That is actually up to ou and your ex. You two know the situation best and with support are positioned to make the best possible decisions for your family. Your mediator is a true, unbiased facilitator. Johnson Mediation has a track record of providing support and effective mediation services to couples who are going through a divorce. Jeff Johnson, our founder, has been through a difficult divorce himself so brings a really insightful and helpful perspective to each case. If you would like to learn more about the divorce mediation process to determine if it might be a good next step for you, call us at 952-401-7599.
