Dorothy and Tom couldn’t agree on how to divide the property they had acquired during their 30-year marriage. Blake and Emma couldn’t come up with a workable child custody and visitation agreement. Both of these divorcing couples may want to consider family law mediation. It can help resolve your divorce issues for some very important reasons.
A Rocky Road to Compromise
Emotions can run high during divorce negotiations. Unfortunately, emotions can cloud reality and make it more difficult to resolve divorce issues. Families involved in long, drawn-out, contentious divorce negotiations pay a heavy price.
Poor communication is common. Each party speaks (or shouts) what they want, but the other party is not listening.
This is where family mediation can really help.
A Smoother Path May Appear
Mediators are impartial third parties. In other words, a family law mediator should be someone who does not have any interest in your divorce. This impartiality allows the mediator to listen to both parties.
Most mediations start with all parties and attorneys meeting with the mediator together. At some point, the parties move to separate rooms. The mediator then works with each group separately, listening to their concerns and conveying responses from the other group.
Agreements may be proposed, but there is no guarantee that you can resolve your divorce issues at mediation. Still, this method often is more effective due to the presence of the impartial mediator.
Even when mediation is court-ordered, however, the mediator does not force a decision on the parties. The mediator’s role is to facilitate an agreement between the parties, not hand down a decision like a trial court judge or arbitrator.
To Resolve Your Divorce Issues, Consider Family Law Mediation
By avoiding a prolonged court battle, you can save money and time. Speak to your divorce lawyer about trying mediation before committing to a trial.
Attorney Bruce Adams is an Alabama attorney with experience in mediation. He is a trained and registered mediator for general civil, divorce and appellate mediations with the Alabama Dispute Resolution Center. Please contact Bruce at 256-237-3339 to set up an appointment. His office is located in Anniston, Alabama, but he assists in surrounding Calhoun, Cleburne, Etowah, and St. Clair Counties.