While there is nothing wrong with using the traditional court process to end your marriage, you may be looking for a less stressful alternative. Divorcing your spouse is likely to have certain complications, but you likely have some out-of-court options for resolving them. A component of an amicable divorce, mediation allows divorcing couples to use the skills of a neutral third party to reach an acceptable outcome.
Even though there are many advantages to choosing divorce mediation, the process is not right for everyone. Nonetheless, if any of the following apply to you, you may be a good candidate for mediation.
- You do not want an adversarial court battle
Divorce court has a reputation for being an ugly place where one party tries to damage the other. If you despise the idea of an adversarial court battle or want to keep your private matters out of the public square, divorce mediation may be a better strategy.
- You have a history of cooperating with your spouse
Mediation requires cooperation. That is, you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse must work together to find common ground. Having a history of cooperating with your partner to solve complex problems may make mediation feasible.
- You have an open mind
Just as no two marriages are the same, every divorce unfolds a bit differently. If you want to take full advantage of everything mediation has to offer, though, you must have an open mind. Specifically, you must be willing to make concessions to your spouse. For mediation to succeed, your partner must take the same approach.
- You want to save some money
During a lengthy court fight, you are apt to incur a considerable amount of legal and other expenses. While its total cost depends on a variety of factors, divorce mediation is usually a more affordable alternative to a protracted court proceeding.
