Not all couples are the same. They have different problems. They have different goals. They have different histories and each individual is different. It makes sense then that not all divorces are the same.
What do you want from your divorce?
A quick reaction to that question might be to think about the money you need and the control you want over the children. Before you get to those details, however, there is a first question to address. What do you want in terms of your divorce process?
Not all divorce processes are the same. Your friend might have gone through a lengthy and unfriendly courtroom battle during his divorce, but that doesn’t mean this is in your future. In fact, avoiding litigation and the courts could be an option for you and your soon-to-be ex.
What is this other option? An alternative to the often stressful courtroom divorce process is mediation. Simply put, mediation allows separating and divorcing couples in California to work in more of a collaborative, cooperative decision-making setting. Both parties would still have attorneys, but the goal is to work together through all of the family law details and to come to an agreement without the help of the court.
Not only can mediation save the right couples from a hostile courtroom, but mediation can shorten the legal process as well. That can save the involved parties stress and money, and the saved time more quickly allows the families to try to begin anew after divorce.
Another valuable benefit of mediation is that the cooperation that gets parties through mediation can actually help them once the divorce is final. This is particularly helpful in cases involving children and the management of child custody arrangements.
Do you see mediation as a plausible, appealing option for your family? If you and your spouse can still communicate well and have enough trust in each other and your relationship, mediation could be a healthy and positive step toward a better future for all of you.