Divorce is tough... but we keep the process simple.

All separation and family divorce mediation issues resolved:

• Child Custody / Child Support
• Visitation Schedules/ Parenting Plans
• Asset/ Liability Distribution
• Spousal Support/ Alimony 

Do you want a Judge and opposing attorneys to determine what will happen to your children and your assets? Or would you rather sit with a neutral party who will support you in negotiating your own acceptable settlement on these issues?

• No Retainers
• Free Consultation
• Private and Confidential
• With or Without Attorneys

The benefits of family divorce mediation are enormous. The financial savings allow the assets to stay with the family members and children. Of equal importance are the savings in time, as a mediated settlement can be completed in one or two weeks, versus ten to twelve months for an attorney and trial situation. Finally there are great savings to be made in the area of the emotional costs, which cannot be measured.

What is Family Divorce Mediation?

In Florida, all divorce cases will be referred for mediation prior to a court date. So even if you retain separate attorneys, your case will still be referred to mediation. And with the success rate of our family mediations, most cases will not be heard in open court.

Mediation gives all participants the opportunity to speak and be heard. We help you to identify the issues that need to be resolved, to generate and consider possible solution options, to reach a mutually agreeable solution and put the agreement into a written form in understandable language. There does not need to be a “winner” and a “loser” in a divorce as long as it is kept from becoming a legal battle.

Issues to be addressed in mediation

• Children: Primary residence, visitation and contact schedules, co-parenting plans
• Division of marital property, assets, and debts
• Child support; spousal support
• Future financial issues: life and medical insurance, educational costs, taxes

Family mediation can be effective even if there is conflict between parties. Our mediators maintain a neutral role and do not take sides. Mediators cannot give legal or financial advice does not pass judgment on what is right or wrong, and do not have decision-making authority.

The strength of mediation lies in its practical approach to the issues at hand. This is particularly helpful for couples wishing to establish a positive co-parenting plan for the benefit of their children. Mediation helps couples set aside their differences, and focus on solutions that meet the interests and needs of all involved both the adults and the children.

However difficult it may be to work on a parenting plan, there is one undeniable truth: you are the only people who know your children, their needs, and the ability of each parent to meet those needs. By working together to make a plan that fits both your lives, you avoid the court's cookie-cutter solutions. Statistics show that parents who prepare a plan jointly are more likely to comply with it than if a plan is imposed upon them by a Judge who doesn’t know anything about the family.

Process of Family Divorce Mediation

Your mediation can begin with a no-obligation phone call or appointment in our offices. At ADR we give a free separate or joint consultation to explain divorce mediation and answer questions. We can help you decide whether mediation is the best way to work out a settlement agreement.

The First Mediation Session

Both parties usually are present, and each has an opportunity to express their thoughts on the decisions that need to be made in the divorce. We identify those areas that are agreed upon, and those that require further discussion. We address asset distribution, custody/time-sharing, and support. For most couples, there is only the one mediation session.

Between Mediation Sessions

The parties may experiment with different parenting schedules, or consult specialists such as a CPA or a Certified Divorce Financial Planner.

Developing Terms of Agreements

Mediation sessions involve discussions of proposals for agreement on parenting issues, child and spousal support, and property and debt division. In many divorce mediation cases, there are trade-offs between these categories that would not be made by a judge at court. Each party is encouraged to make new proposals, rather than criticizing the other party's proposals, until agreement can be reached.

Marital Settlement Agreement

The final terms of agreement are drafted into a Marital Settlement Agreement and Parenting Plan that details in plain language the specifics of your mutually agreed decisions. Each party has an opportunity to review these drafts on their own, or with an attorney of their choice. Once final revisions have been made, the agreement is signed by both parties. Then it is filed with the court and becomes an enforceable divorce judgment.

We notarize all marital settlement agreements signed in our offices, and any other documents that require notarization. The agreement we write can be directly submitted to the Court, and we can help with the filling out of all the documents required by the Court.

Options

If two people are not comfortable meeting together, we can meet at different times with each person or in separate rooms in our suite of offices. At times during a mediation process, we may separate the parties at the request of the individuals or the mediator. This allows for consideration of the issues to continue without emotional roadblocks to communication. In some cases, mediation via telephone with one or both of the parties may be indicated due to geographic concerns.