What Is Family Law Mediation?
A family law mediator is a third party impartial facilitator who helps families resolve their disputes without lengthy and costly litigation.
Consider these questions:
- Are you hoping to get a divorce without spending more money than you need to0?
- Do you have conflict with your siblings about your parents’ end-of-life care?
- Are you embroiled in intractable disputes with family about an inherited estate?
- Are you unmarried and need to figure out a custody parenting plan?
- Were you divorced a long time ago and now need to make changes to child support?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you have a family law dispute and mediation might help.
Why should I consider family law mediation?
Family court is an expensive, time-consuming, and acrimonious system. If you and your family (spouse, brother, parent, etc) would like to negotiate directly with one another an alternative path might be helpful.
Recently, I mediated between three siblings about inherited property. They had disputes about how to share the properties; how to care and maintain the properties; and how to handle an equity buy-out one sibling desperately wanted. The conflict got worse with time and when they called me there had been a complete breakdown in communication.
Of course, they each could hire a probate litigator to fight for their interests in court. Some would win. Some would lose. They would spend 10’s of thousands of dollars between them and exacerbate their already frayed relationships. And then wait a very long time for a determination by the judge.
Fortunately, they mediated. If you were to ask them why family law mediation should be considered they would highlight:
- It saved us money
- It gave us more control over the final decisions
- We were more fair with each other
- It saved us time
- My siblings finally heard me out
- Maybe we can share holiday meals together in the future
- We are trying hard to work together to honor our deceased parents
How can I learn more about family and divorce mediation?
If you would to learn more about divorce and family mediation schedule a free half-hour consultation with Ben.
