Do you want loggers making your decisions? Watch this.

The litigation process of divorce should not be more destructive to a family than the divorce itself!!

The primary goal of mediation is to reach a positive, mutual agreement, whereas the primary goal of a lawyer can be to represent his client and take the case to trial.

Mediators are trained to be neutral professionals who help both parties be self-actualized. Lawyers are trained to be adversarial and represent only one side. Mediators help both of you to be heard and to explore alternative situations important to each of you through forthright and confidential discussions. In mediation there is respectful give and take. Decisions are made voluntarily by you not by a judge.

Mediation is considerably less expensive financially as well as emotionally. Litigation can cost thousands of dollars in retainers, legal fees and court costs, while taking months, sometimes years, to settle in court while parties struggle with the unsettled aspects of dividing up assets, debts and shared time with children.

Mediation allows you to determine solutions best suited to your individual family situation. Decisions are made by the two of you beyond the barrier of misunderstandings and without the feeling of being bullied by contentious attorneys, allowing you to maintain control of the outcome. You determine the needs of your own family rather than relinquishing decision making to arguing attorneys and the judge.

Mediation is completely confidential. You can avoid public record disclosure of personal problems and how they are resolved. The agreement you write up is the only thing that is submitted to the court. There are no court hearings with lawyers, witnesses, summons, subpoenas, testimony and evidence that are all put into public record.

Mediation agreements are written up in common language that both parties understand and to which both parties contribute!! Litigation often involves boilerplate paperwork that includes pages of difficult to understand legalese!

It is the law in Florida that parties go to mediation before they go before a Judge.

You are welcome to bring your lawyer to mediation, although many people do not. Parties have the option during or at the conclusion of the mediation to consult with specialists, i.e. your lawyer, financial advisor, CPA, mortgage company, pension specialist etc. before the final papers are signed or filed. The best way to come to mediation is with knowledge. Visit an attorney for a one hour consultation prior to mediation to ask your legal questions, just as you would visit a CPA to ask financial questions or your mortgage company. Then sit together with your mediator and make the decisions concerning your family yourselves.