3 Tips For Preparing For Mediation And Avoiding Divorce Court

If you and your spouse are about to start the divorce process, you might have envisioned yourself having to plead your case to a judge about things like child custody, alimony, and the division of your property. While some couples have to go through this process, others are able to figure out the dissolution of their marriage at mediation as opposed to going to court. If this sounds like an option that you’re interested in and want to try to avoid going to court for your divorce, here are three tips to help you prepare for this experience and come out of it with a positive outcome.

Be Willing To Compromise

Before you and your ex even set foot in the mediation room, it’s important that you both come into this situation with the right mindset. According to Emily Doskow, a contributor to Nolo.com, many couples who come to mediation ready to compromise and hear the other person out often have success with mediation. However, this can mean suspending your stubbornness and being open to ideas and possibilities that you might not have fully considered before. If this doesn’t sound like something you or your spouse are capable of, then mediation might not be the best choice for you.

Check Your Emotions At The Door

Going through your marriage with a fine-toothed comb and separating everything out can be very challenging for many people, especially if the end of your marriage wasn’t necessarily your idea. Because of this, things can often get very emotional throughout the mediation process. However, this can serve to merely make things more complicated. So to help keep the process moving and get everything done and over with as quickly as you can, Dr. Michelle Rozen, a contributor to the Huffington Post, shares that you should try to do everything in your power to keep your emotions in check. Once the mediation is over, you then will want to try to unpack everything that you’re feeling and work through those emotions either on your own or with a trusted friend or counselor.

Create A Plan With Your Lawyer

Before the day of your mediation, you might want to consider doing some prep work with a family lawyer. While you don’t have to have a lawyer present during a mediation, Nancy Hudgins, a contributor to Mediate.com, shares that a lawyer can help you with things like keeping everything civil, getting your finances in order, setting a parenting plan, negotiating, handling the issue of spousal support, and much more.

If you are about to start going through the divorce process and want to try mediation, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you best prepare for this.