Divorce Mediation is required in Florida in any contested divorce.
The intention is to not clog the courts, and run up a huge legal bill if you can come to an agreement using an impartial third party. With an average divorce legal bill of $15,000, cutting down on expenses makes sense when possible! One way to cut down on these expenses is to use a mediator.
A mediator doesn’t work on behalf of either party, they just facilitate agreements. If you want to keep your divorce details behind closed doors while cutting costs, a mediator might be the best bet for both you and your bank account.
Sometimes, however, you know going into mediation that your soon to be ex is “intractable” and you’re going to court “no matter what”. In these cases, mediation can be a very inexpensive way to get a look into what the other party’s positions and tactics might be. Mediation can be used to find out what they are like to say in court, and you can prepare for it.
Unlike in court, what is said in mediation, other than a finalized agreement if reached, is absolutely confidential. What you say CANNOT be used against you in court.
In high conflict divorces, where mediation is unlikely to produce an agreement, a seasoned family law attorney can still make lemonade from lemons by using the mediation to peer into their defensive posture.
As always, every situation is unique. This series is intended to “start the thinking process” to take emotive choices out of a hard situation. Everyone’s situation is different, and this is not intended as legal advice. Please, speak to a divorce attorney prior to making any decisions, especially decisions based on a simple blog post. There are many mitigating factors that will go into the final divorce decree.
As always, every situation is unique. This series is intended to “start the thinking process” to take emotive choices out of a hard situation. Everyone’s situation is different, and this is not intended as legal advice. Please, speak to a divorce attorney prior to making any decisions, especially decisions based on a simple blog post. There are many mitigating factors that will go into the final divorce decree.
