Mediation is the process of arriving at an agreement as peacefully, quickly, cost-effectively and diplomatically as possible. Mediation is particularly useful for individuals who want to bring their divorces to conclusion without the costs and stresses associated with court proceedings.
The most important thing to consider before starting a divorce mediation is “what are your goals?”
The general goals of divorce mediation
Generally speaking, the goals of your divorce mediation will likely be three-fold:
- To set up a legally sound, fair and mutually acceptable agreement that finalizes your divorce.
- To minimize costs by avoiding the expenses related to trial and litigation.
- To reduce hostility between the parties and reduce the chances that there will be post-settlement disagreements and misunderstandings.
Divorce mediation might not be the right match for you
It’s vital that couples stay realistic before they decide to try mediation as a means to bring their marriage to a close. For example, if your mediation process cannot achieve the above three goals, it might not be worth the time, energy and capital investment involved in going through with it.
Are you certain that, no matter what happens, your spouse will continue to argue with you over the tiniest of details? Are you and your spouse at an impasse that simply cannot be resolved — no matter how much time you spend at the negotiation table? Or, maybe you have an unusual goal for your divorce process, and this is an issue that’s better handled in court.
Regardless of your situation, it’s important to stay realistic. If you know it will be impossible to reach an out of court settlement, the wisest choice — in the end — could be to litigate your dispute.
Study up on conflict resolution and negotiation techniques
If you’re ready for mediation and you want it to be successful, you may want to learn and study information about negotiation and mediation techniques. Learning these techniques — as well as fully understanding your marital rights under the law — can be an excellent way for you to ensure that your divorce mediation experience is the best that it can possibly be.