If you and your spouse can behave rationally in regard to your divorce, mediation sessions may be a good way for the two of you to resolve divorce-related disputes. These sessions can be arranged by a family law attorney in Fair Oaks CA who represents you; your spouse will need a separate lawyer for representation to prevent conflicts of interest. Mediation has proved to be a solid strategy for negotiating agreements in matters such as division of property, child custody and visitation, and spousal support.
The other option would be to go to court and have a judge make the decisions. That’s risky since judges can be unpredictable. It’s possible you would get everything you want. It’s also possible you would get nothing you want. Going to court also tends to create hostility between the two spouses, which can be especially harmful if children are involved. These are reasons that people increasingly ask a Family Law Attorney in Fair Oaks CA to arrange mediation sessions instead of pursuing litigation.
An impartial arbitrator, such as a lawyer who doesn’t represent either party, monitors the mediation sessions and may guide the divorcing couple toward a fair agreement. The two spouses don’t have to sit in the same room if they have trouble being civil. Sometimes a social worker or counseling psychologist is asked to assist. Even if several sessions are necessary, this process is generally less expensive than taking the issues to court.
Expect that you will need to compromise to a certain extent for mediation to work. Consider a situation in which the parents are wrangling over the details of shared custody. The father is determined to have the children every Christmas because that is an extraordinarily important holiday for that individual’s family. The mother is willing to have a schedule for every other Christmas. In this case, the father may be able to negotiate an agreement in his favor if he allows the mother to have something she especially wants.
Contact a firm such as the Law Office of Hugh O. Allen for more information on mediation. The Family Attorneys there are ready to help.
