Many people favour hiring a divorce attorney when they wish to separate from their spouse. However, divorce mediation comes with many benefits that may make it a better option for you and your family. You’re obligated to have mediation before you can get divorced, and for good reason. Working with a mediator rather than a lawyer can reduce stress, reduce the impact on your kids, and make the separation overall less of a daunting experience.
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7 Reasons to Hire a Divorce Mediation Expert
1. Mediation Costs Less
Attorneys are notoriously costly. Separating from your partner is financially stressful enough without you having to pay for legal aid on top of it. Plus, an attorney isn’t always worth the cost if you and your ex are on good terms.
Mediators are a more cost-effective and practical choice. They know how to help you negotiate with a spouse you’re on good terms with, and divorce mediation rarely puts a major hole in your bank account.
2. Mediation Is More Private
Some divorces overseen by lawyers end up in the courtroom, and this will leave all your business available on public records for all the world to see if they choose to do so. Most people would prefer these details to be kept private, as divorce circumstances are highly personal.
Mediation, on the other hand, will never go to court, and it doesn’t require your information to be available on public record. The only people who know what goes on in your divorce are you, your spouse, your mediator, and anyone else you choose to involve personally.
3. Mediation Is Less Stressful
Divorces are incredibly stressful even before you hire an attorney. There’s a lot of paperwork involved, and the emotional impact hits even harder than the paper workload. You and your spouse have separate lawyers, which causes even more stress, as you’ll often find couples get into heated arguments even with their lawyers present. Plus, the lawyers negotiating back and forth is time-consuming and nerve-racking.
With mediation, the focus is all on peaceful conversations. There are likely to be fewer arguments, and there won’t be any back and forth between separate attorneys. You can discuss everything openly and face-to-face, meaning your divorce will likely take less time and be less stressful.
4. Mediation Encourages Stability Long-Term
Divorce attorneys mainly focus on your present while dealing with your case. They usually only consider your future stability when they’re deciding who to award custody to if there are children in your divorce. They don’t do much, most of the time, to help you handle shared assets in the future or co-parenting as your children grow.
Mediators help facilitate conversations regarding co-parenting, division of assets and sharing of assets, and many more things that impact your future. They want to ensure that you come out of this divorce healthy in all areas and you remain that way for years to come. Long-term stability and peace for your entire family is a major goal of the mediator when you’re getting a divorce.
5. Mediation Is Personalised
Lawyers generally follow the same protocol for all divorce cases. You can’t personalize things very much when you’re dealing with matters of the law. It doesn’t matter what your past or present circumstances are—it’s a very blunt process that may not be appropriate for people in some divorce situations.
With mediation, your mediator will take your past and present into account as they begin discussions with you about your divorce case. They’ll take an approach that makes both parties comfortable and ensures both voices are heard regardless of what happened in the past.
6. Mediation Is Better for Your Children
Custody in divorce cases is awarded based on the best interests of your child. There’s often no room for “what if” in case the situation changes soon after the divorce. If you wish to have your case re-evaluated, then you’ll have to go through the stressful process of a custody battle all over again.
With mediation, the best interests of your children are placed up front, and all “what if” situations regarding their future are laid out on the table to be discussed right now. You can discuss changing your custody arrangement based on a spouse’s future plans, and you can base your children’s best interests on what you know will be best for your children in particular rather than what the court deems the generic best interests of all children.
7. Mediation Encourages a Healthy Relationship with Your Former Spouse
Divorce cases can get ugly when the law is involved. Mediation is a more peaceful approach that can lead to better communication and understanding between you and your former spouse during the divorce and after it. Having a healthy relationship with your former spouse is vital if you share children and even social circles.
In many divorce cases, mediation is the right choice for everyone involved. It’s a process based on communication and doing what’s best for your family. If you and your spouse have an amicable relationship during your divorce, then mediation may be the best option for you.
