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What to Expect at Your Divorce Mediation
A divorce can be a traumatic, mournful time in one’s life, and at Nottage and Ward, LLP we understand the complex challenges that come with the territory. You may think that expensive litigation is your only option for a divorce, but an alternative method is to hire a divorce mediator. Unlike an attorney, a mediator acts as a neutral third party to help you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse resolve your legal issues.
A mediator will meet with you and your spouse individually and together in order to discuss and resolve the issues of your divorce. Mediation is confidential, with no public record, and allows you to work toward a solution that you and your ex agree is fair for the situation.
Surviving the Holidays after Divorce: Getting Your Kids When You Want Them
During the holidays, both parents want to spend time with their child or children. But deciding who gets the children and for which holidays can be a highly contentious. It is very possible that the divorced couple stipulated how the holidays would be handled in their child custody arrangement, but oftentimes, this isn’t the case and a divorced couple has a very difficult time agreeing on the best way to “share” their kids during the holidays. The best way to come to an agreement is to be flexible.
Being flexible is an important part of making the holidays work for your family. Children look forward to the holidays because of how they are celebrated, not what day they fall on. The two usual arrangements are:
Divorcing Couples Find Understanding through Mediation
The traditional route of courtroom litigation is often the “default” course of action for a married couple seeking divorce; however, it is not the only option. Courtroom litigation tends to make a separating couple’s relationship worse by pitting one against the other while each try to persuade the judge to rule in his or her favor. The ultimate decision is made by a judge, based on what he or she thinks is best for the divorcing couple and their family. In the end, the couple does not make decisions about their own family and their relationship is often worse off for it.
Not all divorcing couples separate on civil terms, but for those that make the decision together, there is an alternative to the inherent animosity of a court battle. Mediation is a viable alternative to litigation for a couple that still maintains a civil relationship and wants to make their own decisions about what is best for themselves and, if they have any, their children. In Illinois, custody mediation is mandatory prior to forging into full-blown custody litigation.
How to Choose a Mediation Attorney for Your Illinois Divorce
The decision to divorce is a difficult one, and has many extensive consequences. While every situation is different, the process can become very complex and time-consuming, leaving those involved exhausted and stressed. Rather than face the strains of courtroom litigation, many couples going through an Illinois divorce opt to settle matters through mediation.
Mediation in Illinois is an option for divorcing couples to consult with a highly trained professional and discuss the situation in a reasonable manner. As discussed in a recent Huffington Post article, the mediator does not have a bias in the outcome and is there to assist a couple to determine the details of their divorce. Typically, during mediation, issues such as property division, child custody and visitation agreements, and more are decided. It is essential, then, for you to select an attorney with experience in mediation, whom you can trust since they are protecting your legal rights during the mediation process.
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