Divorce mediation is an alternative method to legal negotiation and traditional litigation for couples seeking to dissolve their marriages or to settle disputes arising after divorce. The process is designed to eliminate the competition and hostility that too often occur when each spouse views the other as an adversary. In mediation, it is the couple – not a lawyer, not a judge, and not a mediator – who retains control over the decision-making that will affect the present and future lives of the individual family members.
Divorce settlements that are imposed upon people have a poor track record. The percentage of divorced couples who return repeatedly to court to resolve their problems keeps rising. Mediation offers an alternative to this litigation cycle.
Research shows that couples with mediated settlements are more able to work through post-divorce disagreements and have lower re-litigation rates. These couples express greater satisfaction with their agreements than do those with adjudicated settlements, and their children adjust more easily to the divorce. Moreover, couples who develop their own separation agreements or decree modifications find the process to be less emotionally draining, faster, and less expensive than litigated settlements.
“After more than ten years as I think back, I wholeheartedly know we made the right decision to use a mediator and in particular CMDR. We were especially grateful for the mediator’s clarity of perspective. We use (the) our Mediation Agreement as a framework to help guide us through decisions that frequently need to be made concerning our child as she grows over the years. The agreement helps keep emotions out of the decision-making, resulting in much more amiable discussions and positive outcomes for all of us.”
At the Centre for Mediation & Dispute Resolution, we offer an alternative that ensures that all family members emerge whole and protected. With the help of a trained, neutral mediator, you’ll identify your current and future needs and those of your family and begin the process of structuring an agreement that is both workable and equitable. Your agreement will include a working plan for now and the future and may include the following areas: Separation Considerations — Children — Division of Assets — Support — Health Insurance — Children’s and/or Spouse’s Education — Tax Implications — Post-Divorce Considerations.
