If you’re going through a divorce, mediation may be the right answer for your situation.
But what is it, and how could it help you?
What is Divorce Mediation?
Mediation is a common way of negotiating between spouses. You and your spouse (or both of you and your lawyers) hire a neutral third party—the mediator—to help you resolve the issues in your divorce. Many couples who share children choose to work with a mediator to help them come up with workable solutions for custody arrangements and other issues.
Why is Mediation Beneficial?
Mediation isn’t right for everyone, but for some people, it has several benefits, including:
- It’s less costly than fighting things out in court.
- Most mediations end in a settlement.
- Mediation is confidential.
- Mediation lets you use your own ideas to come up with a resolution (rather than having the judge impose his or her solution on you, which you may not agree with).
- You still get your lawyer.
- You remain in control of the process rather than forcing the court to control the process.
- You may learn how to focus on the issues so in the future, it’s easier to deal with your spouse and avoid conflicts.
Finding a Mediator
You can ask friends and family for a referral, or you can ask your Milwaukee divorce lawyer if he or she knows a local professional who’s helped others in similar situations.
As you look for a divorce mediator, know that like therapists and attorneys, each mediator has his or her own style and approach. However, most mediation sessions follow the same procedure. First, you’ll each talk to the mediator and provide background information; then, you’ll attend the first meeting. During the first meeting, the mediator will explain what happens during the process, such as whether you’ll all remain in the same room or you’ll be moved to separate rooms with the mediator serving as the go-between.
Do You Need to Talk to a Wisconsin Divorce Lawyer?
Whether or not you choose to participate in mediation is up to you, but we’ll be here for you no matter what. If you need to talk to a Wisconsin divorce lawyer, call us at 414-383-6700. You can also contact a divorce attorney online if it’s easier.
