St. Louis Divorce Mediation Services
Divorce mediation is increasingly well known and becoming widely accepted in all parts of the country. At St. Louis Divorce and Mediation Services, you and your spouse sit down in the same room with a neutral divorce mediator. With the help of your mediator, you and your spouse work through all the issues, allowing you to make the agreements needed to reach a divorce settlement and positive parenting plan.
What to expect in divorce mediation
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Regardless of the mediation style, there are several things you can depend on in the divorce mediation process. First, mediation is flexible and confidential.
why is the flexibilty of mediation important?
Flexibility allows you and your spouse to control your divorce process - not a judge or the court. You get to determine how fast or slow you move through the divorce mediation process. If the timing of your divorce is important, then mediation will allow you the flexibility to speed up or slow down the process. Flexibility also allows you and your spouse to be creative with your agreements. You will get to craft your agreements around your family and, if applicable, your children’s unique needs and circumstances. Creativity isn’t abundant in litigated divorce.
Why is confidentiality in mediation important?
Confidentiality in the divorce mediation process means that aside from a couple exceptions, anything you say in mediation is strictly confidential and remains within the mediation process. Confidentiality is very important because it provides a safe space for each person to be fully transparent without fear of it being used against them. It allows you, and your spouse, a way to divorce amicably and with aminimity
Other benefits of divorce mediation
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The process also provides privacy, lower costs, healthier co-parenting post-divorce, and a more satisfying settlement agreements. Mediation gives both spouses helpful tools they can use in post-divorce communication.
Mediation allows for the open and free exchange of information. This transparency empowers both spouses to negotiate with each other in confidence. Since spouses are working with the same base of information, it usually takes far less time to negotiate a resolution that makes sense.
Mediation is voluntary. Spouses choose to engage in the mediation process and one, or both spouses, can choose to disengage in the mediation process.
Mediation is far less stressful than putting your future in the hands of the legal system. In mediation, you and your spouse are in control of the pace of the process. You can also craft agreements that are unique to your own individual situation. Instead of being told that you have to fit into a cookie cutter plan you have the opportunity to customize a plan that works for your family - this reduces a great deal of stress for spouses with children.
the Divorce mediator's role
The mediator remains unbiased – this means the mediator will not pick sides and will remain a neutral facilitator. The mediator serves both spouses as a facilitator of communication, information, and problem-solving. The mediator cannot give legal advice, financial advice, or act as an advocate for either spouse. Mediators often provide factual information that is helpful in facilitating the discussion. They may also highlight your need for additional information when it is not readily available in the process (e.g. obtaining a real estate appraisal to determine value of a home). When the mediator provides such information they will provide the same information to both parties - it is often done so via the mediation session, an email or a phone call with both parties.
ISSUES COVERED IN DIVORCE MEDIATION:
· Distribution of Marital Property (Assets and Liabilities)
· Parenting Time and Child Custody
· Child Support
· Alimony / Maintenance / Spousal Support
· Retirement Accounts
· Marital Real Estate
· Family Business
· College Expenses
· Health Insurance
· Tax Considerations
To learn more about divorce mediation services please call or click to schedule a 30 minute consultation and see if the divorce mediation process is right for you.
