Do I need to go to mediation? 

Mediation can be an effective tool to assist parties with conflicted views come to an amicable agreement.  

If both parties are struggling to come to an agreement on only a few items, mediators can assist them in handling those items effectively, without spending heavily on attorneys. 

Mediation is also used by attorneys and judges when parties can't agree at all.  Many Courts mandate mediation before they hear a family law matter in a trial, hoping the parties sort out their differences without Court interference.  

You may or may not need mediation.  It's an effective tool in some but not all situations.

What happens after mediation?

There are multiple pathways that can occur upon completion of mediation.  

If all terms are agreed upon, the parties can file the appropriate paperwork to finalize their action.  If no agreement was made, one option is to continue negotiating outside of mediation until an agreement is made.  

Finally, in some instances, trial is on the horizon.

How Much does mediation cost?

Mediation costs are typically based upon a base rate for a specific time-slot and then hourly for the mediators time spent over the specific time slot.  In addition, if you have an attorney, you would be responsible for their typical fees as well.