Divorce Mediation: When Is It Appropriate?

You’ve tried everything to save your marriage.  You don’t hate your spouse, but you’ve both decided that divorce is better than the other alternatives.  You want to be fair, but you’re not quite sure what that means.  One thing is for certain.  You’ve heard how awful the divorce process can be, and you don’t want to end up bankrupting yourself and ending up enemies.

Does this sound like you?  If it does, then divorce mediation may be the answer for you.

The goal of a mediated divorce is to enable the two of you to part ways, as peaceably as possible.  The process is non-adversarial, is designed to achieve a result you will both feel is fair, and aims to provide you with a separation agreement that reflects your unique values and circumstances.  Mediation is also relatively low risk because the process is entirely confidential, and it can be discontinued at any time.

Another benefit of mediation is that it avoids escalation of conflict.  This is especially important when children are involved, as you will continue to need to work as a parenting team even after you are divorced.

The mediator does not take the place of a lawyer, but mediation may well reduce the volume of legal services needed.  The streamlined, non-adversarial nature of the mediation process is so efficient that it can result in significant cost savings.

Mediation can be utilized in any case, from the simplest to the most complex, provided that two requirements are met.  First, both parties must be committed to principles of fairness, even if they disagree at the outset about what, exactly, is fair.   Second, each party must agree to full financial disclosure.  If these two criteria are met, your chances of being able to mediate your divorce successfully are excellent.

Feel free to contact Just Mediation, LLC, at 803-414-0185, to discuss whether mediation may be appropriate in your case.

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About Alex Skinner

Attorney and mediator focused on elder law and family challenges. Licensed as an attorney in South Carolina, USA. Mediation services worldwide via videoconferencing.
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