Divorce mediation can settle a wide range of legal disputes
Couples who want to minimize fighting, expenses, and delays during the divorce process often turn to mediation to work through conflicts outside of court. Mediation can settle a wide range of legal disputes. Still, it is especially beneficial to address divorce-related issues, like child custody and property division. Let’s dive deeper into divorce mediation in Maryland.
What is Divorce Mediation?
During divorce mediation, the couple attends several meetings with a professional mediator. During these meetings, the mediator facilitates the conversation and guides the couple through identifying their priorities, coming up with possible solutions, and working toward an agreement.
Throughout the process, the mediator remains neutral and does not take sides. Unlike a judge, the mediator cannot control the case’s outcome, which means it is up to the parties to resolve their own case.
In Maryland, divorce mediation may be done voluntarily or ordered by a judge. Either way, mediation can offer several advantages over litigation, such as increased efficiency, greater control, and a better chance of a satisfactory outcome. If the couple cannot reach an agreement through mediation, they can still resolve the dispute through traditional litigation.
Benefits of Divorce Mediation
For many couples, one of the most appealing parts of divorce mediation is working together to find a solution they can agree on, giving them more control over the outcome. This is very different from traditional divorce litigation, which pits one spouse against the other and leaves the final resolution in the hands of a judge.
Since divorcing couples are intimately familiar with their own circumstances and their family’s unique needs, they are often better equipped to find an outcome that everyone is happy with. However, to achieve this result through mediation, both individuals must be willing to cooperate and communicate with one another. Because it is non-adversarial, mediation can also benefit parents who prefer to remain on amicable terms with one another for the sake of their children.
How to Make Your Mediation Successful in Maryland
Given the time, expense, and loss of control that comes with litigation, many divorce attorneys believe that mediation is a better way to end a marriage. However, a successful mediation depends on both parties’ ability to cooperate and compromise. That can be hard when emotions run high. However, there are some things you can do to make the process easier and improve your chances of success:
- Work with a therapist to address your emotions outside mediation
- Stay open-minded and consider other options
- Focus on objective aspects of your case rather than telling your story
- Be practical with proposed solutions
- Ask questions
- Take breaks
The Right Lawyer Can Make All the Difference
Hiring a lawyer should be the first thing you do when encountering any legal matter, not a last resort. Whether you’re thinking about a separation or divorce or have been charged with a crime, been injured in an accident, or your civil rights have been violated, you need to first know your rights. Contact Mike Mastracci today at 614 Edmondson Ave Catonsville, MD 21228 (with satellite offices in Ocean City, Snow Hill, and Salisbury, Maryland), 410-869-3400, and check us out on Facebook.