Bergen County Divorce Mediation Lawyers

Divorce mediation is a process in which you and your spouse work with a neutral third party to help you end your marriage in a fair and agreeable manner. The neutral third party in this situation is known as the “mediator.” Your mediator can help you work toward mutually satisfactory agreements over the division of marital assets, including retirement assets, custody issues, parenting time, child support, taxes, and other issues that need to be resolved in your divorce. If you think divorce mediation may work for you and your spouse, please don’t hesitate to contact our knowledgeable Bergen County divorce lawyers today.

Divorce Mediation Lawyers Serving Northern New Jersey

If you select a mediator from our team, we pledge to uphold firm and fair neutrality. We want you to come to your own agreements and will offer advice and suggestions based on the issues at hand and each party’s priorities and points of view. The goal of mediation is to assist the parties in reaching an agreement so that life after the divorce is as smooth and conflict-free as possible.

Benefits of Divorce Mediation

There are many potential benefits to choosing mediation over litigation for your divorce. Learn more about these benefits below.

Control of the Process

In mediation, the participants are the only parties who can determine the terms of their final agreement. In other words, control is not placed in the hands of a judge or an arbitrator and there is no risk that power will be taken out of your hands. The mediator will provide recommendations, devise solutions, and discuss potential trade-offs for each side, but he or she will never make a judgment for the parties. If you and your spouse reach a mutually agreeable decision, then you can choose to move forward in unison. If not, either party can choose to pursue traditional litigation as an alternative route. Obviously, divorce can be extremely stressful. Mediation can take the pressure off of the process and allow you to feel in command of your future.

Time-Efficiency

The litigation process can become long and arduous, as these cases are scheduled based on the number of other cases on the court’s docket. As such, your case may begin weeks or months after your initial complaint for divorce is filed, with a trial scheduled well into the future. Furthermore, depending on the level of contentiousness and complexity, divorces can take years to be resolved, preventing you from moving forward with your life. Mediation, on the other hand, is scheduled and resolved promptly, providing additional flexibility since your sessions can be scheduled based on the time commitments and availability of both parties.

Cost-Effectiveness

As you may know, divorces can become extremely expensive, even crippling, financially. As the hours, days, weeks, and even years pass before your divorce is resolved, the bills can accumulate for both you and your spouse. Mediation provides an infinitely more cost-effective solution, saving time and money for both parties involved. You and your spouse can choose to share the mediator’s fees, and even if you obtain independent counsel to participate with you in the mediation sessions, the process itself is significantly shorter than traditional litigation.

Confidentiality

Unbeknownst to many, the records of a courtroom divorce become admitted to the public record, meaning that evidence, testimony, and perhaps sensitive information are exposed to the public at large. Conversely, mediation is entirely confidential, with anything said during the proceedings kept private. If you have a reputation, career, or children that you wish to protect from certain information or simply wish to resolve issues privately between you and your spouse, mediation allows you to do so without the exposure of a litigated proceeding.

Fostering Cooperation

When you choose to divorce, there are often many more parties and interests involved than simply you and your spouse. For instance, divorcing parents may wish to pursue a more cooperative approach to resolving their divorce as a means by which to protect their children and move forward positively. Co-parenting can be accomplished when both parties are committed to the best interests of the child, and mediation can serve as the first step toward a mutually beneficial co-parenting arrangement.

Similarly, spouses who share a business or certain interests that will require continued interaction may benefit from the collaborative approach of mediation. The resolution of such significant matters can be vital for your personal and financial future and a mediator can assist you both in reaching a compromise. Avoiding or decreasing hostility can allow for a forward-moving relationship that best serves the interests of both parties involved.

Informality

The traditional litigation route can be intimidating, as court rules of procedure and evidence, as well as the formality of the process, leave you feeling trapped in a maze with little ability to voice your concerns. Mediation provides you with a safe, open, informal environment for you to present your perspective and advocate for yourself. Through mediation, you ensure that you are heard throughout the process and that the issues that matter most to you are adequately addressed.

Particularly in families, the dynamics of relationships become important. A mediator can ensure that neither party takes over the proceeding by asserting power over the other or silencing them. When devising appropriate solutions for parenting, reaching an agreement about finances, or dividing prized assets, the ability of each person to speak, to be heard, and to participate in the process can be invaluable.

Contact Our New Jersey Divorce Mediation Lawyers

If you think mediation may be right for you, please don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated Bergen County divorce mediation lawyers today. We stand ready to help you and your spouse reach a favorable outcome.