If you are facing a legal dispute, you might think court is the only way to resolve it. However, mediation is a powerful alternative that is often more time and cost-effective. Here are a few reasons as to why mediation could be your best option:
1. Cost and Time-Effective
Court cases are expensive and time-consuming, it can involve numerous hearings, expert fees, lawyer costs, and long delays. Depending on the circumstances, it can take months or even years for your matter to reach resolution. Mediation, however, is typically more readily available, and you can get started on resolving your dispute without lengthy wait times associated with Court process.
2. Less Stressful
Court is formal and adversarial, often escalating tension. In a family matter, emotions are often heightened. Mediation is more informal, and allows for open conversations with a neutral third-party present to help both parties hear one another out and reach an agreeable solution. In the instance that tensions arise during a mediation, a neutral mediator can meet with each party separately (“in caucus”), helping both parties focus on finding solutions and reduce stress, ultimately leading to both parties making better decisions.
3. Preserves Relationships
Mediation fosters communication, which is especially important for family disputes that involve children. It helps preserve relationships, which is crucial when comes to co-parenting in the long term with your former spouse. You may think that there is no way you and your spouse could ever work together as co-parents, but you might be surprised at what you can achieve for yourself, and your children, if you have the right mediator helping you.
4. Confidentiality
Court proceedings are public, whereas mediation is private. Court proceedings being public means that sensitive details about your dispute or your family become part of a public record. In mediation, the particulars of your dispute remain private and confidential. Mediation allows parties to protect sensitive information and resolve discreetly, keeping your family’s business, your family’s business.
Mediation offers numerous benefits, allowing parties to have more control over the outcome of their case, making it often a better option than Court for resolving family disputes. Your children benefit from you and your spouse working together to make decisions, and you benefit from a less costly and less lengthy process to resolve disputes. Mediation can be effective even in situations with very high conflict, and we encourage you to contact our offices to explore how mediation might be the right choice for you.