A Step – By – Step Guide Of The Mediation Process
1. The mediator:
- Acts as a neutral party, guiding the discussions and helping you stay focused and rational, to identify options and find solutions “Taylor-made” for your situation
- Gives legal information and oversees the exchange of information regarding your property
- Requires full disclosure of all information, so you negotiate with one another in confidence, knowing you are working with the same base of knowledge
- Sits down with you both to help resolve every issue in your divorce while minimizing conflict, including child custody, child support, parenting time, property division, debt division, spousal support (alimony) and tax issues.
2. You thoroughly discuss the issues and the reasons for each decision. Each of you has the opportunity to speak your mind; no decision is made until it is acceptable to you both.
3. As you reach agreements, the mediator drafts a document detailing the agreements, which you both review with the mediator.
4. Neither of you signs the agreement until each of you has had ample opportunity for repeated reviews on your own and if you choose, with a third party, such as a lawyer or a financial adviser or both.
5. Lisa Taylor is an attorney, and while she will not represent you in court, she will help you understand the court process and the required court documents.
6. The divorce court proceeding is now greatly simplified. Since you will have resolved all conflict, the divorce court proceeding becomes a matter of paperwork instead of an adversarial process.
7. The judge enters a Judgment of Divorce that incorporates the mediated document to finalize the divorce.
8. The mediator is available to help you with post-divorce disagreements regarding parenting time, co-parenting or implementing the property division.
There is no retainer, and the initial phone consultations are free. We conduct an in-depth screening with each of you (free of charge) to determine if mediation is appropriate for your divorce case.