Mediation:
While every divorce, legal separation, custody or support action must be filed with the Court to obtain legally binding orders which can be enforced, they do not need to become bitter Court battles.
The parties who mediate their disputes often find that the costs they incur are significantly less than the parties who fight out their disputes in Court. Any issue that is mediated could mean a reduction in your legal fees. Even if the parties do not reach a full settlement and must have the Judge decide a few issues, the cost savings is enormous and the emotional relief is priceless.
Some of the best results are achieved when the parties sit down and mediate their disputes. If a mediated agreement can be reached and turned into Orders, the parties can usually live with them easier than the Orders which are arbitrarily made by a Judge.
If the action is mediated, a full settlement is reached and reduced to writing which is signed by the parties, their fully executed Judgment can be filed with the Court and the parties will not need to go to Court at all.
Unlike collaborative divorce proceedings where the parties are required to hire new attorneys if the mediation process breaks down, the attorney you hire to assist you in mediation can continue to represent you in Court.