Why Choose Mediation?
There are few choices more important than the decision to end a marriage. It is also a complicated decision: Tied in to the enormous, life-changing decision to get divorced are countless smaller choices that require attention. Keeping track of everything involved in ending a marriage can quickly become overwhelming, especially given the intense emotional pain inevitable in any divorce. When emotions run high, our brains stop functioning at their peak; the parts of the brain responsible for planning and careful decision making (called the prefrontal cortex) can literally shut down, making it much more difficult to do the type of detailed work required when dividing assets, establishing support, and coming up with a custody agreement.
That’s why attorneys often play an important role in divorce; since they are outside the marriage, they don’t have the same emotional response as the individuals who are divorcing, and they also have the experience and expertise needed to make sure the process goes smoothly. It is often a relief to have an attorney take over a case - it allows the individuals to focus on what’s most important: Recovering from the intense loss of ending a marriage.
But when couples litigate - meaning they hire an attorney to ask a judge to decide how their case will be resolved - the costs quickly pile up. It takes a lot of time to litigate a case, and attorneys charge a lot for their time. A typical litigated divorce can cost upwards of $20,000 - and that’s the low end of the price spectrum.
Mediation gives couples the benefit of an attorney’s help without the high prices of litigation. By agreeing to sit down with a neutral the cost is automatically lower, because the couple pays just one attorney instead of two. Because the couple is not going to court to have a judge make a decision, they don’t pay for the lengthy, time-consuming documents needed for the hearing or for time spent in the courtroom. Instead, they pay only for the time needed to reach and write an agreement - a fraction of what they would spend litigating.
Mediation is not only cheaper, but faster. There is no need to wait for a hearing to get a decision in your case - you can start working toward that decision right away.
Mediation offers greater control. Instead of letting a judge decide how your case is resolved, you get to make the decisions - your solutions will be more creative, flexible, and individualized.
Mediation is an affordable way to start your new life on the right course. You get the benefit of an attorney’s objective, unemotional perspective, experience, and knowledge, and lay the foundation for a peaceful transition to the next phase of your life.
Ready to get started on your next step? Contact us.