Many people start the divorce process by contacting a divorce attorney. This first step can be a good way of gathering information about the process and the possible outcomes. It may be helpful to ask a divorce lawyer about the best/worst case scenarios and the potential costs for each scenario in your particular situation.
However, at Westfield Mediation, we have found that it may not make sense to stick with a lawyer for crafting your divorce agreement. Divorce litigation is usually extremely expensive, very time-consuming and adversarial and you do not always end up with a comprehensive and fair agreement. For most people, divorce mediation is simply a better alternative.
Unlike litigation, divorce mediation saves time and money and gives clients more control over their own divorce agreement and process. Still, some divorcing spouses may worry that the nature of their own relationship does not make them good candidates for divorce mediation. Maybe the spouses argue a lot or don’t communicate at all; or one of them earns significantly more money than the other. In some cases, one person is a financial expert and the other has been the primary parent and is well-versed in the kids’ schedules and needs.
In our divorce mediation experience, we have found that even if you and your spouse do not communicate well or have an imbalance in your understanding of the children’s activities and/or the financial issues or a complicated financial portfolio, the benefits of mediation in terms of cost and control and stress reduction, will still make it more beneficial to go through divorce mediation rather than divorce litigation.
An impartial divorce mediator can guide you through the process to ensure that both parties’ interests are expressed and everyone’s concerns are addressed. The divorce mediator can offer outside referrals to financial and tax experts to ensure that both parties have the same fiscal knowledge coming into any negotiations. A good divorce mediator does not allow one party to be steamrolled by the other and guides clients to a fair result for both spouses. For most people, it may be useful to consult with a lawyer for any legal questions, but hammering out the divorce agreement is best done in mediation.
For more information on divorce and divorce mediation, please contact Randi M. Albert, JD, or Michelle Weinberg, M.Ed., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, at Westfield Mediation, LLC at 908.913.0373. View our website at www.westfieldnjmediation.com or email us at info@westfieldnjmediation.com.
However, at Westfield Mediation, we have found that it may not make sense to stick with a lawyer for crafting your divorce agreement. Divorce litigation is usually extremely expensive, very time-consuming and adversarial and you do not always end up with a comprehensive and fair agreement. For most people, divorce mediation is simply a better alternative.
Unlike litigation, divorce mediation saves time and money and gives clients more control over their own divorce agreement and process. Still, some divorcing spouses may worry that the nature of their own relationship does not make them good candidates for divorce mediation. Maybe the spouses argue a lot or don’t communicate at all; or one of them earns significantly more money than the other. In some cases, one person is a financial expert and the other has been the primary parent and is well-versed in the kids’ schedules and needs.
In our divorce mediation experience, we have found that even if you and your spouse do not communicate well or have an imbalance in your understanding of the children’s activities and/or the financial issues or a complicated financial portfolio, the benefits of mediation in terms of cost and control and stress reduction, will still make it more beneficial to go through divorce mediation rather than divorce litigation.
An impartial divorce mediator can guide you through the process to ensure that both parties’ interests are expressed and everyone’s concerns are addressed. The divorce mediator can offer outside referrals to financial and tax experts to ensure that both parties have the same fiscal knowledge coming into any negotiations. A good divorce mediator does not allow one party to be steamrolled by the other and guides clients to a fair result for both spouses. For most people, it may be useful to consult with a lawyer for any legal questions, but hammering out the divorce agreement is best done in mediation.
For more information on divorce and divorce mediation, please contact Randi M. Albert, JD, or Michelle Weinberg, M.Ed., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, at Westfield Mediation, LLC at 908.913.0373. View our website at www.westfieldnjmediation.com or email us at info@westfieldnjmediation.com.
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