Divorce Mediation

Divorce Mediation – Is Collaborative Resolution a Viable Option?

If you are going through a divorce or marriage and would like to pursue a solution that will not cost you a fortune, you should consider using a Long Island Divorce Attorney. As most divorce lawyers will tell you, the least expensive way to achieve what you want is through mediation. With mediation, both parties enter into a dialogue that will help them work out an amicable solution that they can live with. But how do you find a qualified Long Island divorce lawyer?

Divorce Mediation

First, it’s important to know that there are different kinds of divorce mediators available in your area. You’ll probably recognize one or two of them from television commercials for family mediators. In fact, it may be difficult to locate a divorce mediation professional who doesn’t seem like a familiar character on your TV or radio commercials. But don’t lose faith! Many other attorneys offer this type of legal representation to their clients, and most are quite affordable.

When you hire a divorce mediation professional, you are entering into a contract with that attorney. You have to pay him or her some sort of fee to provide that service – but the overall cost of mediation is usually lower than a typical court settlement. In most cases, the fee that you pay your mediator will include his or her fees for his or her efforts in helping you reach a settlement agreement. In addition to the legal fees, you’ll be expected to contribute towards the costs of the divorce mediation process. If you aren’t comfortable contributing money to an attorney’s fees, feel free to ask your lawyer to help cover these costs for you.

Once you and your spouse have reached an agreement on the terms of your divorce settlement, the mediator then helps the parties negotiate an agreement that both of you can agree upon. Once the agreement has been negotiated, the mediator helps each of the parties get involved in formulating the specifics of the final agreement. This might mean taking one side or the other to resolve a specific issue, such as child custody or spousal support. It could also mean writing out the terms of the agreement or presenting a draft of the agreement to each of the parties. Regardless of the manner in which the negotiations proceed, the mediator is very involved in the actual agreement process.

One thing you want to make sure of when hiring a divorce mediation professional, however, is that he or she is not representing either you or your spouse. If you do hire an attorney, the attorney will work with your spouse’s lawyer to draw up all of the legal documents that must be filed with the court. The mediator will not be involved in this process, nor will he or she act as a liaison between you and your spouse’s lawyer. You must make sure that your divorce mediation professional is not an attorney and that they are not representing either party in any legal matters.

Divorce Mediation often begins with a session that lasts about an hour. This discussion is helpful for everyone involved because it allows each of the parties to express their feelings and needs to the other party. Each divorcing couple is usually given a free session to air their concerns and desires. During this time, the mediator listens to each party and attempts to develop an agreement between both parties based upon the feedback that is received. Many divorcing couples find that the divorce mediation actually helps them save money, since they will both pay less for attorneys and legal fees. In addition, if the divorcing couple agrees to settle their personal financial matters before going to mediation, the mediation actually provides an opportunity for both parties to settle their financial matters before going to trial.

As a result of divorce mediation, the divorcing couple may come to an agreement about child custody, visitation rights and other relevant issues without spending a great deal of time and money on legal proceedings. Divorce Mediation often provides the divorcing couple with an opportunity to communicate less about the specifics of the settlement and focuses the conversation on the children and other related issues. However, regardless of how the parties proceed after the divorce mediation, it is important for both parties to keep the final decree in writing, so that future arguments about the decree can be avoided. It is also always important for spouses to preserve copies of any paperwork that they may have generated during the divorce mediation process, such as tax documents or court transcripts.

Divorce Mediation is a viable option for most couples who wish to obtain a quick and amicable final resolution to their divorce settlement. It is important for individuals who choose Divorce Mediation to select an experienced professional, preferably one who is not an attorney, because an attorney is better able to present a case on your behalf. It is also important for individuals who choose Divorce Mediation to ensure that the mediator they hire adheres to a code of professional responsibility. Most mediators will require that individuals who select them submit to a background and criminal check. In addition, it is important for individuals who choose Divorce Mediation to fully disclose any potential financial information to their attorneys.