Is Mediation Right For Us?
May 27, 2016 by West Coast ADR
Mediation as it relates to divorce and family law is becoming increasingly common. One of the main reasons for this is that parents are trying to find a way to ease the stress and conflict associated with traditional divorces. If you aren’t sure if mediation is right for you, the following considerations may help.
- You don’t have to be on excellent terms with your partner to benefit from mediation. Many people have a picture of two very friendly people amicably parting ways as the only way mediation will work. While this may certainly make it easier, couples who have communication issues can also use mediation successfully. The mediator’s job is to make sure that communication stays civil and one party does not dominate the discussions, making it much easier for the parties to come to an agreement.
- The mediator is not making the final decisions. Many people get confused between arbitration and mediation. In mediation, the mediator’s role is to simply be a facilitator. The mediator does not make decisions about what is fair or side with one party.
- Mediation can offer more privacy than traditional divorce methods. Many filings related to a divorce are considered public record. With mediation, however, the only filing is the final agreement, which means any accusations are left out of the official court records.
Many people are interested in using mediation to get through their divorce or custody issues but are worried it may not work for them. If mediation sounds like something you’d like to consider, setting up a meeting with a lawyer to go over your options and what to expect is the first step.
Source: Mediate.com, “Challenging The Myths Surrounding Divorce Mediation,” Dr. Lynne C. Halem, accessed May 27, 2016
Mediation as it relates to divorce and family law is becoming increasingly common. One of the main reasons for this is that parents are trying to find a way to ease the stress and conflict associated with traditional divorces. If you aren’t sure if mediation is right for you, the following considerations may help.
- You don’t have to be on excellent terms with your partner to benefit from mediation. Many people have a picture of two very friendly people amicably parting ways as the only way mediation will work. While this may certainly make it easier, couples who have communication issues can also use mediation successfully. The mediator’s job is to make sure that communication stays civil and one party does not dominate the discussions, making it much easier for the parties to come to an agreement.
- The mediator is not making the final decisions. Many people get confused between arbitration and mediation. In mediation, the mediator’s role is to simply be a facilitator. The mediator does not make decisions about what is fair or side with one party.
- Mediation can offer more privacy than traditional divorce methods. Many filings related to a divorce are considered public record. With mediation, however, the only filing is the final agreement, which means any accusations are left out of the official court records.
Many people are interested in using mediation to get through their divorce or custody issues but are worried it may not work for them. If mediation sounds like something you’d like to consider, setting up a meeting with a lawyer to go over your options and what to expect is the first step.
Source: Mediate.com, “Challenging The Myths Surrounding Divorce Mediation,” Dr. Lynne C. Halem, accessed May 27, 2016