Divorce is a time of uncertainty when you need to know who will influence any decisions you make. While going to court is an option, it can be much less costly, both financially and emotionally, if your first step is to seek help from a mediator to decide things such as who will keep your house. Mediators can play a major role in helping you shape the outcome of your divorce, but it’s ultimately up to you and your spouse to make the decisions. Learn more about what mediators do and how they can help you make getting your divorce less stressful. When they choose divorce mediation, San Diego couples get the chance to make decisions for their families without resorting to messy court battles.
Reasons to Go Through Divorce Mediation
If you live in California and have minor children, you may be required to go through mediation first. The California judicial system is set up to help families achieve amicable divorces whenever possible, and going through mediation is one way to achieve this goal. Going through mediation helps you and your spouse learn how to work through your differences so you’ll be better able to interact with each other in the future.
Factors that Influence the Outcome of a Divorce
One of the biggest factors that will affect the outcome of your divorce is how willing you and your spouse are to work together to find solutions to your disagreements. You may both want custody of your child or pet. You may also both want to stay in your house. Being willing to work with each other to resolve issues by choosing options such as joint custody ensures you’re the only ones who make the major decisions.
Things to Discuss During Mediation
During mediation, your mediator guides you through specific topics that need to be covered in your divorce settlement. During your first appointment, the mediator may talk to you about your specific life situation to set up an outline for what you’ll decide upon in future appointments. Make sure to be open about your wants and needs from the start, and keep in mind nothing has to be decided right away. Instead, you can discuss the allocation of your assets, child custody, and other major factors over the course of the next several appointments.
How a Mediator Serves as a Neutral Party
Your mediator doesn’t actually decide the outcome of your divorce, but he or she plays a big role in helping you communicate with your spouse during a stressful time. Divorce mediators don’t take sides, and they only benefit from helping you work out your settlement. They can help you find creative solutions you might not have thought of on your own. Once you and your spouse have reached a settlement, the mediator helps you submit your documents to the court. Having the mediator serve as a neutral party helps you complete this entire process more quickly and easily than you would if you hired attorneys or tried to do everything on your own.
If you’re interested in learning more about how mediation works and why more people are choosing it every day, reach out to the divorce mediators San Diego couples trust to create amicable solutions that honor the needs and desires of the whole family. Give the mediation experts at Divorce Options San Diego a call today at (858) 281-2628.
