7 Reasons to Hire Divorce Mediation Lawyers
Divorce mediation lawyers offer an alternative solution to typical divorce proceedings. With mediation, a third party helps you and your former spouse have calm discussions about what you wish to achieve during your divorce. There are numerous reasons mediation may be more beneficial for you.
7 Reasons to Hire Divorce Mediation Lawyers
1. It’s Typically More Cost-Effective
The average divorce can cost tens of thousands of dollars. It’s true that divorce lawyers in Sugar Land TX and mediation attorneys have different fees. However, numerous sources estimate that you’ll pay 70% to 90% less for your divorce when you hire a mediator.
Anything that leads to you paying less during your divorce is worth looking into. You’ll recover from your divorce much quicker if you come out of it in the best financial shape possible.
2. It Has a More Flexible Schedule
You understandably have a very busy life, so you need to find a divorce solution with a flexible schedule. If you go through the court system, then you may end up with numerous scheduling delays and conflicts. This can make your divorce take longer to resolve.
You get to set the schedule for your mediation sessions, so that takes some of the stress of scheduling delays off your shoulders. You can pick dates and times that work for you, and this often leads to your divorce being resolved faster than it would have been if you went through the courts.
3. It Lacks Formal Hearings
Formal hearings are one of the most stressful parts of a divorce. You have to get all dressed up, be on your best behavior, and follow a set of procedural rules. Mediation allows you to dress more comfortably, act a little more naturally, and set your own rules.
You also have more time to tell your side of the story with mediation. There’s no busy judge rushing you along so they can move on to the next docket. Everybody involved wants you to be able to lay out the details of your divorce in your own time.
4. It Leads To More Amicable Discussions
Court proceedings and communicating solely through your attorneys can feel highly adversarial. With mediation, you can form a more amicable relationship with your former partner after you split up. During mediation, you work together towards the same goals, so you feel much less divided. It also prevents you from focusing on the past, as now you have to look towards the future and make decisions regarding it.
Forming an amicable relationship with your former spouse is vital during divorces where there are children involved. You and your former spouse will be dealing with each other frequently for the foreseeable future, and it would be far easier for everyone involved if you two could get along.
5. It’s All Up To You
Judges make all the decisions during courtroom divorce hearings. They decide who gets custody of the children, ownership of marital properties, and more. You testify and make arguments that will hopefully sway the judge to rule in your favor, but the outcome is still beyond your control.
With mediation, every decision is yours to make. This gives you back your control, and that can make you feel much more comfortable. Nobody can force a decision upon you. You and your former spouse of the ones with all the power, and only you two truly know what’s best for your situation.
6. It’s More Kid-Friendly
When a judge decides who gets custody of the children in a divorce, they take your children’s best interests into account. However, most of the time, the judge won’t consider your children’s feelings or desires when it comes to which parent they’d prefer to live with. You know your children best, so during mediation, you can make decisions that represent your children’s true best interests.
Furthermore, regular divorce hearings don’t take the future into account when deciding custody. Mediation encourages you to communicate about the future and consider various scenarios that could arise. You can then discuss how you’d navigate them so you can become better co-parents after the divorce resolves.
7. It’s Confidential
When you settle through litigation, the records are open to the public. This leaves anyone free to read information that you probably wish was private. However, mediation is entirely confidential. The only people who know what comes up during mediation sessions are the mediator, you, and your former spouse. The only part of your divorce that must be filed in court is the settlement. All of the details and discussions are left private.
Mediation offers a private, cost-effective, more comfortable alternative to litigation. Many divorcing couples find it to be the best solution for their family. If you and your former spouse feel you can have calm discussions about the outcome of your divorce, then mediation is something you should seriously consider.
