When you first decide to file for divorce, there may be a lot about the process that you don’t know. For instance, many people don’t even realize that there is an alternative to a traditional courtroom divorce complete with lawyers and a judge. Divorce mediation is another way to get your divorce settled, and can often come at much less time, expense and drama to both parties. However, divorce mediation may not always be right for your case. After all, no two divorce cases are alike, and there may be extenuating circumstances that must be settled by a court of law. For example, if your divorce involves any illegal activity, criminal behavior, spousal abuse, child abuse, a custody battle or other matters that require legal attention, you should definitely pursue a courtroom divorce. If none of that applies to your situation, you may find that divorce mediation is the best way to end your marriage quickly and simply. Here are a few facts about divorce mediation that can help you decide whether it is right for your case.
No Lawyers Involved
If you and your spouse have decided to call it quits, your first instinct may be to retain the services of a divorce attorney and begin courtroom proceedings to end your marriage. However, an attorney is not necessary unless there are legal matters regarding your divorce that must be hashed out in court. If you and your soon-to-be former spouse are able to negotiate the terms of the divorce settlement and arrive at a fair and equitable agreement that is mutually beneficial, then divorce mediation could be the answer for you.
Lower Cost
Because less litigation is typically involved with divorce mediation, this lowers the cost of the divorce considerably. Many services, such as Chicago divorce mediation service SplitSimple, use attorney mediators that know the subject very well. While you will have to pay applicable filing fees for the paperwork necessary to dissolve your marriage, and there is usually a fee for your divorce mediator, the final cost will still be much lower for both of you than a traditional courtroom divorce would have been. This can be a huge benefit for newly-divorced people who are trying to budget new expenses such as separate housing, payment of bills as decided by the divorce agreement, and any alimony and child support they are to pay.
More Peaceful
Some people think that divorce mediation is only for those divorcing couples who still somehow remain friends, and that mediation won’t work for divorcing spouses who hold feelings of anger and resentment toward one another. The truth is, most divorcing couples are not too fond of one another during divorce proceedings (after all, you are ending your marriage because you have differences that can’t be resolved), so it is not a requirement for you and your soon-to-be former spouse to be on especially good terms when you enter divorce mediation. However, the more calm and rational you can be during mediation sessions, the more you will benefit from the process, as you will be able to settle the terms of your divorce and reach a satisfactory agreement much more quickly if you cooperate. Because of this, divorce mediation can often be a more peaceful, less stressful end to your marriage than divorce court.
Divorce mediation is a good alternative for anyone who wishes to end their marriage quickly and simply, doesn’t have any legal issues tied up with the case, wants to save money in the long run, and is able to reach a satisfactory agreement with their former spouse without the aid of an attorney.