When you want a better divorce experience, choosing mediation over litigation offers many benefits and can help you overcome negative obstacles.
Key takeaways:
- Meditation offers a less stressful, more collaborative alternative when it comes to divorce.
- Mediation is a strategy that is less costly, more private, and ultimately it gives you more control.
- With mediation, you can create a flexible, personalized plan with your spouse without ever having to see the inside of a courtroom.
The stress and toxicity often associated with divorce might make you wish that there was an easier alternative. Many people don’t realize that divorce mediation allows you to eliminate so much of what makes divorce such an overwhelmingly negative experience. Meditation is the process by which you work with your spouse and a mediator to settle the particulars of your separation rather than battling it out in court.
The dedicated team at Family Law Mediation, Powered by Unblinded offers clients a better way to resolve their divorce and avoid courtroom drama. Mediation allows you to take back your power in divorce proceedings by actively choosing collaboration, setting a tone of harmony for the future you envision. Our latest blog explores six benefits to mediation over litigation and, though these are not the only benefits you will discover through this process, they are certainly some of the most important aspects.
- Mediation Is Amicable, Not Adversarial
One of the most stressful aspects of divorce is having to battle your spouse in order to get anything accomplished. When a divorce goes to litigation, you are pitted against your spouse. You fight them for what you need to begin your new life, and you fight so you can “win”. This fight can be all-consuming, and it can last a long time–even up to a year or more!
When you choose mediation over litigation, you work with your spouse instead of against them. As opposed to the battleground of a courtroom, mediation offers a collaborative space where you can each negotiate your needs and come to mutually agreeable resolutions.
Though you doubtlessly have good reasons for splitting up with your spouse, in most cases your marriage to them does not have to end in a high-stress fight that leaves behind painful emotional wounds. Instead, splitting on good terms offers a healthier and more empowered conclusion. This rule is doubly true if the two of you share children; it would be in your kids’ best interests to keep an amicable relationship with each other, especially as you will likely need to continue to communicate and make collaborative co-parenting decisions in the future.
- Mediation Is More Cost-Effective Than Litigation
Divorce can last a long time and cost a lot of money. When you have to present your case in front of a judge, and especially if multiple hearings are involved, the associated costs pile up. Depending on the complexity of your case, mediation might only cost a few thousand dollars or less, while litigation can cost tens of thousands or more!
Lawyer fees are a huge culprit when it comes to inflating the cost of litigation. When your attorney is working on your case, you not only have to pay for courtroom appearances and representation, but also for all of the legal work they do behind the scenes. These costs can add up to the extent that the price of your courtroom experience might outweigh the settlement you hope to receive in the end! For a more cost-effective solution to your divorce, mediation can put less stress on both you and your wallet.
- Mediation Is Private, Not Public
Divorce can be an emotionally turbulent time, and chances are you don’t want your dirty laundry being aired out in a courtroom. Even if you don’t feel you have anything to hide, the experience of a bunch of strangers weighing, evaluating, and making judgement calls on your life can be uncomfortable, to say the least.
When you choose mediation over litigation, you work directly with your spouse to decide privately what arrangements will best serve you. Mediation gives divorcing couples the ability to keep business private and resolve issues one-on-one.
- Mediation Is More Efficient And Saves You Time
Chances are that if you are divorcing, you don’t want it eating away at years of your life. You probably want to move on to the next chapter in your journey rather than being stuck in the purgatory of a courtroom! Mediation allows you to come to decisions more quickly on a schedule that works for you. There are no mandatory hearings, court backlogs and delays, processes being dragged out, or motions being filed. As a matter of fact, if you and your spouse are able to collaborate, one session may suffice to settle all your issues in a timely manner!
- Mediation Puts You, Not a Judge, In The Driver’s Seat
Mediation gives you the power to take control over your own destiny. If you have preferences about your divorce arrangement, mediation allows you to take an active role in seeking your ideal resolution, whereas if you go to court, you will have to try to convince a judge to side with you. With mediation, you and your spouse call the shots, and you do not have to submit to any rulings. Instead, you take your future into your own hands. This is perhaps the biggest and most important benefit of mediation. You and your spouse are the decision makers.
- Mediation Is More Flexible
Each family is different and has unique needs that cannot be reliably calibrated by a courtroom of strangers. The truth is that you know your family better than any judge, so you should have more say in how your family’s future will be arranged.
When you work with your spouse through mediation, you have the flexibility to decide exactly what creative arrangement works best for your family rather than accepting standard court orders. If no two families are the same, why should your divorce arrangements or parenting plan be decided according to a formula or a precedent?
The flexibility mediation offers is particularly valuable for couples with children as it gives divorcing parents the ability to make strategic plans that will serve the best interests of their kids. Between the two of you, you can decide how your kids will spend their time without the intervention of the court.
Family Law Mediation, Powered by Unblinded Empowers You Throughout Your Divorce
If you are ready to try mediation, Family Law Mediation, Powered by Unblinded can help empower you to take control of the narrative. You are not alone in this process–our team has seen everything there is to see when it comes to divorce, and we know how to help you navigate through these troubled waters. Reach out to us for a free initial consultation and learn more about how we can help you down this more compassionate path toward a better future.