Mediation
So what exactly is mediation? A confidential and voluntary process of dispute resolution whereby a neutral third party helps the main parties come to a legally enforceable agreement.
PROMOTING A COOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT
Mediation creates a peaceful environment for the parties to work together.
A mediator facilitates and improves communication between the parties so they can cooperate to create a plan for their family's future. A mediator can create more interest-based options than what a judge can order at trial. When the parties have children, comprehensive Parenting Plans and Timesharing Agreements are prepared so the parties can co-parent the children.
LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE AGREEMENTS
Mediation can produce legally enforceable settlements before you ever set foot into a courtroom.
One of the biggest problems with the court system is the tremendous volume of cases that are processed. For the thousands of family law cases in the Central Florida courts, there are only a handful of judges to deal with them. Relying on the courts to determine the outcome of a case can take several months, or even years, from the date the court documents are filed. Mediation can resolve cases in 1 day, versus years of litigation, and generate fully enforceable agreements through court order.
CONTROL THE OUTCOME
Mediation empowers the parties to control the outcome of their dispute in reaching an agreement.
When you litigate in court, you are letting a judge decide the fate of your dispute and you have no control over the outcome. The judge may grant all of your requests, none of your requests, the requests that were least valuable to you, or a mixture. Mediation lets the parties take charge of how their dispute is settled and create a plan for the future of their family.
COST EFFECTIVE
Mediation costs a fraction of the price of a trial or full litigation.
Mediations typically only take one day, as opposed to months or years of litigation. That usually means lots of money saved in attorney's fees. Because mediation is informal and non-adversarial, it promotes an atmosphere of cooperation and is an efficient way to resolve the conflict.
