Going through the divorce process is usually one of the darkest times in an individual's life. With the help of divorce mediation, it can be made much better. There are many benefits to be experienced, both tangible and intangible. A tangible benefit is saving a lot of money.
A typical mediation case, including costs for the court, the agreement and the mediator, may cost up to $5,000. The various charges for a typical, litigated, contested case could easily be ten times that amount. That alone, provides strong motivation to take advantage of this alternative to a courtroom battle.
Intangible benefits include a general reduction of stress and the feeling of relief that your fate is not in the hands of some judge. Most importantly, if you have children, it helps to provide a good example for them and to maintain healthy relationships with both spouses.
There is less likelihood of using the kids as pawns in the proceedings. Custody of the children is such a big issue, and it is something that you can never be sure how the judge will rule. With divorce mediation, the power is in your hands and the hands of your soon to be ex-spouse, instead of the judge, who is a stranger and outsider to your family.
Many people who were perfect candidates for mediation, went ahead with normal divorce proceedings, never really stopping to consider the alternative. They later wished that someone would have steered them in that direction because the courtroom proceedings took on a life of their own.
The process is an adversarial one, by design. Each party is represented by legal counsel, whose duty it is to be aggressive for getting their client the best settlement. In the role of simply doing their jobs, the lawyers will bring up topics and take the case in directions, that neither spouse would have ever done on their own.
Very personal and intimate matters, that you would have most definitely preferred to keep private, are suddenly a part of court records. This means they are public, and anyone can easily access them. In divorce mediation you will never have to worry about such a scenario. The agreements are private and confidential, as well as all of the proceedings.
Another one of the many benefits of this alternative is the time factor. Instead of spending 18 months of bitterness and frustration, it will probably take about three months, and it comes with a much lower emotional toll. This will help you peacefully close the door on one chapter of your life, allowing you to open the door to the next chapter.
In the state of Florida, everyone wishing to dissolve their marriage must first attend divorce mediation proceeding, to see if it is possible to save everyone the time, expense and all the intangible costs. This is actually a very good precedent that will hopefully spread across the nation. The money that is saved on attorney fees and court costs can go to the spouses and their children instead.
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