If you and your spouse have determined that you cannot reconcile and you would like to move forward with the divorce process, you may agree that divorce mediation is an attractive alternative to the traditional adversarial system of litigation. The next question to consider is, “when is the right time for mediation?”
Some divorcing spouses contact a divorce mediator early in the process before any divorce papers have been filed. The advantage of early mediation is two-fold. First, you begin your divorce on the right foot. Beginning your divorce with mediation is essentially agreeing that the divorce is happening and that you want to move forward in a non-adversarial manner. Compared to the alternative where your spouse is served with divorce papers that he or she may not have been expecting, in mediation you are not trying to surprise or catch your spouse off guard. Instead, you are on the same page (or trying to get on the same page) of wanting to end things in a respectful, peaceful and dignified manner.
The second advantage of early divorce mediation is the increased ability to negotiate and move forward to reach a resolution. When you use divorce mediation before you have even filed the petition and summons, you may be able to reach a resolution more quickly and minimize costs, stress, and tension of starting the divorce through lawyers.
Despite these advantages of beginning the divorce process in mediation, it is never too late to use divorce mediation. If you have already started the divorce process, you can still benefit from many of the advantages that divorce mediation has to offer. If you need assistance in determining whether mediation is right for you and your spouse, or whether it is the right time for you to try mediation, contact us for a complimentary initial consultation with one of our divorce mediators today.
- Shazi Rastegar, Esq. – Attorney and Mediator
Please note that this blog is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice.
