Divorce Mediation Up Close and Personal – Derek and Stacey, Part IV

Two Parents Fighting Over Child In Divorce ConceptIn our last installment of our continuing mediation case study, we left Derek and Stacey in the middle of their second divorce mediation session. They had planned to make child custody the major focus of the session but were derailed early on by a tense discussion concerning the family home. Let’s see if they are able to get back on track after that and address their parenting issues. Read more

Setting Ground Rules in Divorce Mediation

ground-rules.jpg

One thing people wonder about a lot when it comes to divorce mediation is what actually happens during the sessions. Here at the Weinberger Mediation Center, we’ve been giving you an inside picture with our ongoing series about Stacey and Derek, a divorcing couple going through mediation. To help you gain an even better understanding of what happens in mediation, we’re going to pause from their story now and then to take a closer look at certain aspects of the process. For example, we saw that in their first session, the mediator made an introductory statement that included a review of the mediation “ground rules.”

So what exactly are ground rules, and why do they exist?  Read more

Divorce Mediation up Close and Personal – Derek and Stacey, Part III

DivorceIn our first installment we discussed the events leading up to Derek and Stacey’s decision to participate in divorce mediation. In the second installment, we looked in on their first session. Now let’s see how things are working out for them during session number two. Read more

Divorce Mediation up Close and Personal – Derek and Stacey, Part II

U - 78568598_47In our first installment we saw how Derek and Stacey came to the tough decision to divorce and also how they ended up choosing divorce mediation. In the next few installments we’ll watch their story unfold as they move through the mediation process. Read more

Divorce Mediation up Close and Personal – Derek and Stacey, Part I

Frayed Rope about to Break

What is it really like to have your divorce mediated? For 2015, we are presenting something new in the mediation blog – a case study following one couple’s journey through divorce mediation from the very first steps to the ultimate resolution of their case. Today, in Part I, we will meet our divorcing couple, Stacey and Derek, and take a look at their marital situation and their decision to divorce. Read more

5 Tips For Making Your Mediation Session A Success

win-win concept

You hired a family law mediator and set the first meeting date. Now what? Here are five ways to make sure mediation sessions fulfill their purpose of helping you and your spouse arrive at divorce settlement terms both of you consider fair and equitable. Trying to resolve your divorce with a minimum wrangling and discord? Here’s how to make the divorce mediation process work for you: Read more

Domestic Violence or Abuse and Divorce Mediation

Domestic Violence Word Cloud ConceptIn honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’re taking a look at a common question about divorce mediation:

Is mediation ever appropriate when a couple has experienced domestic violence or abuse?

Some mediators would unequivocally say no. Mediation assumes that parties will keep each other’s best interests in mind and seek solutions that provide maximum benefit to both. Abuse creates a serious power imbalance and implies that an abuser is unwilling or unable to place any importance on the needs and wants of the other party.

This response is not entirely satisfactory, however, because it leaves an abused party with litigation as the only alternative. Is this really better? Read more

Child Custody Mediation: Some Common Concerns and a Checklist

child custody mediationDisagreements about child custody and visitation are often the most emotionally challenging aspect of a divorce for parents. Sometimes both parents want primary residential custody, and sometimes one parent wants to share parenting time equally while the other does not. A less common, but often very challenging situation is that one parent wants to drastically limit the other’s visitation time and decision-making authority due to some type of concern regarding the latter’s parenting ability.

When is mediation a good vehicle for attempting resolution of these kinds of issues? Read more

Using Experts in a Financially Complicated Mediation

60 - Stock_000007053168XSmallPreviously, we blogged about choosing mediation in a financially complicated divorce. As we discussed in that post, even though a complex mediation may take more time and involve more costs than a simple mediation, the proportional cost savings compared to litigating a case can make mediation a very attractive alternative. One of the major reasons financially complicated divorces tend to be more costly is the necessity of using experts. Choosing to use joint experts and abbreviated reports in mediation can result in considerable savings.

What kind of financial experts do couples going through divorce mediation typically need? While each case is different, the following list will give you some idea of what types of experts you might need, as well as exactly what each expert can do for you. Read more

“Conscious Uncoupling” and Other Not-So-Legal Terms in Divorce

credit: goop.com

photo credit: goop.com

If you follow celebrity news, you no doubt have heard about the “conscious uncoupling” between Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. If you are going through an “uncoupling” process yourself, you may be wondering what exactly it means to make it “conscious.” Since you are reading this blog, you may also be wondering how the concept of conscious uncoupling fits into the divorce mediation process. Read more