Shaping your future through negotiation and compromise.
When divorce and family law issues require legal intervention, mediation is often the best way to identify and arrive at practical and beneficial solutions that everyone involved can feel good about.
Understanding The Benefits Of Mediating Your Divorce Or Family Law Matter
When parties are unable to reach an amicable settlement on their own and want to avoid adversarial and costly litigation, mediation can be an excellent resource to resolve divorce and family law disputes. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”) where parties work with a trained mediator (either privately or with counsel present) to reach a global or partial resolution of the issues that are in dispute. This is a confidential process that is non-binding unless and until an agreement is reduced to writing and signed by both parties.
Mediation allows you and your spouse or your partner to resolve issues such as spousal support, child support, child custody, parenting time and equitable distribution of property or division of marital assets and debt. This can be done without having to go to Court and without having to go through costly and time-consuming litigation.
The Benefits Of Using Mediation
1. Preserve Relationships: Mediation fosters open communication and cooperation, allowing couples to maintain amicable relationships, especially when children are involved. It's a collaborative process that emphasizes understanding over confrontation.
2. Empowerment Through Participation: Mediation places decision-making power in your hands. By actively participating in the resolution process, you regain a sense of control over your life and the terms of your divorce or post-divorce arrangements.
3. Time Efficiency: Say goodbye to prolonged legal battles. Mediation streamlines the process, offering a more time-efficient alternative to traditional litigation. Reach agreements swiftly and move forward with the next chapter of your life.
4. Cost-Effective Resolution: Divorce can be financially draining, but mediation provides a cost-effective solution. By avoiding lengthy court proceedings, mediation helps you save on legal fees and other associated expenses.
5. Tailored Solutions: Every family is unique, and mediation recognizes this. Tailor-made solutions address your specific needs, whether it's crafting a co-parenting plan, dividing assets, or modifying post-divorce arrangements.
6. Reduced Emotional Strain: The emotional toll of divorce is inevitable, but mediation offers a softer, more empathetic approach. A neutral mediator guides you through the emotional terrain, facilitating constructive dialogue and reducing overall stress.
7. Privacy: Keep your personal matters private. Unlike court proceedings, which are a matter of public record, mediation offers a confidential setting where you can discuss sensitive issues discreetly.
8. Focus on the Future: Mediation shifts the focus from the past to the future. Rather than dwelling on past grievances, the process encourages forward-thinking solutions that benefit both parties in the long run.
9. Flexibility in Scheduling: Life doesn't adhere to a courtroom calendar. Mediation offers flexibility in scheduling sessions, making it easier to accommodate your commitments and create a timetable that suits everyone involved. Including permitting parties to participate remotely.
10. Better Compliance and Satisfaction: Agreements reached through mediation often result in better compliance and overall satisfaction. When individuals actively contribute to crafting their solutions, they are more likely to adhere to the terms willingly.
What To Expect During Divorce Mediation
Mediation sessions last approximately two hours each time you meet with your mediator. These sessions can be conducted virtually to afford flexibility for work and home-life schedules or in-person. Mediation sessions in divorce matters usually require between three to four sessions to reach a global settlement. If our office conducts your mediation, we can prepare a draft Marital Settlement Agreement in order to minimize disputes over the language of the Agreement and to minimize additional legal costs.
Georgia Fraser, Esq is a Trusted and Experienced Mediator Since 2008
Aside from making the decision to participate in mediation and whether to do so privately or with counsel, the other important decision is selecting the right mediator. At Fraser Family Law Office, LLC in Princeton, New Jersey, founding attorney Georgia Fraser, Esq. has mediated family law and divorce disputes since 2008. She is an accredited professional mediator with the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education. She has guided thousands of people through the divorce process during her over 25 years of practicing divorce and family law and will know how to navigate you through the
At Fraser Family Law Office, we provide experienced, caring guidance through the mediation process. If mediation is an ideal fit for your situation, we will help you every step of the way, providing the support and knowledge you need to feel empowered and heard. Schedule a consult to learn more about mediation today, contact us online or call Fraser Family Law Office, LLC, 609-223-2099.
Serving all of Central Jersey: Mercer County (including Princeton, West Windsor, East Windsor, Lawrenceville, Hamilton Township, Trenton, Robbinsville, Hopewell, Hopewell Township, Pennington, and Hightstown), Somerset County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County and Ocean County.