Divorce Mediation

Divorce Mediation – Calculating Costs

A Long Island divorce mediator is when an individual meets with a neutral third-party mediator or lawyer in the hopes of negotiating with each other regarding their divorce proceedings without needing to appear in Court. The main advantage to mediation is that both parties don’t necessarily have to represent themselves. This frees them up to negotiate more efficiently and arrive at more reasonable agreements. It’s also a much quicker process than going to trial. Here are some things to expect from an Affordable Divorce Mediator.

Divorce Mediation

Affordable Divorce Mediators is usually very affordable. There are several ways to pay for the services. Typically, the divorcing parties will pay for the divorce mediation themselves. Sometimes, attorneys offer this service as well. If not, there are plenty of non-profit organizations that provide the same services with no cost to the divorcing parties.

Most attorneys do not like the idea of using divorce mediation as a viable option for resolving marital problems. Many attorneys feel that it presents too great a risk of the attorneys representing their clients getting involved in the process “dirty tricks” to get themselves a higher settlement. This isn’t necessarily true. If an attorney has reasonable concerns about the subject, he or she can certainly participate in a divorce mediation without becoming personally involved. However, they need to be thoughtful about how they proceed–especially with the divorcing parties.

The benefits of mediation over litigation aren’t limited to the divorcing parties. Other parties can benefit as well. Children of divorcing parents may gain a new lease on life by being able to see both parents and learn about different approaches to resolving marital issues. By participating in a divorce mediation, children will also gain some insights into what they can do to help their parents work out an agreement and avoid a long litigation process.

It’s often recommended that individuals seeking a divorce mediation hire a neutral mediator. Although the parties are free to choose their own personal mediators, a neutral mediator can offer neutral advice. There are several ways in which the divorce mediation can be facilitated. The parties may choose a single family law attorney to mediate the agreement. Or they may decide to engage the services of more than one attorney and bring in different perspectives, such as from other households where the parties have ties.

In order to facilitate a successful mediation process, most divorces involve both parties hiring a lawyer. At the very least, the initial fee of the lawyer represents the party that desires the initial consultation. (Some attorneys require a percentage of the initial fee in compensation for expenses incurred on the actual divorce proceeding.) Most divorces do not involve an hourly fee, so the hourly rate is not factored into the cost of the service. However, most lawyers agree that the initial consultation is an “intrinsic part” of the divorce mediation process.

To determine the true cost of a divorce mediation, one must consider the hours the litigation will require and the time the litigation will take, including holidays, vacations, and so on. Because litigation tends to drag on for a long time, many times a substantial litigation expense is required before the parties reach an agreement. Mediation often costs less because of shorter sessions and absence from trial. Another way to assess the cost of the mediation is to calculate the hourly rate of the attorney, multiplied by the number of hours involved in the case. This will give a better idea of the true divorce mediation cost.

One of the best ways to prepare for a divorce mediation is to set up an agreement between the two parties. There are many templates available online for this purpose. Once this is done, simply review the document with the other spouse and try to come to a mutually agreeable agreement about the terms of the agreement. If there is an existing prenuptial agreement or child custody agreement existing, these should be addressed in the agreement as well. The goal of mediation is to arrive at an agreement in a civilized and courteous fashion.