Welcome

 Q: Can you meet with us virtually through Zoom or Google Meets?

A. Yes! We can meet virtually.  We send out a Zoom link shortly prior to our scheduled start time. 

Q: How is a mediated divorce with Shared Mediation different from a typical divorce?

A: In a typical divorce, each spouse states their position through attorneys and, absent a settlement, leaves it to a judge to decide the future of their finances, property, and children. In a mediated divorce, the spouses sit with a neutral third party who guides them through conversations needed to make these decisions for themselves.  Most divorces, whether mediated or not, end in settlement.  The main difference with mediation is that a settlement is sought from the beginning with both parties realizing that settlement is in the best interest of their children (more peaceful), bank accounts (avoid drawn out court battles from the start), and future (mediated divorces tend to take less than a quarter of the time a litigated divorce takes).

Q: Why doesn't everyone mediate rather than litigate?

A:  In divorce, emotions are often raw and spouses aren't always at the same place with respect to the desire to end the marriage.  If one party is not willing to negotiate at all because they aren't ready to end the marriage, the mediation won't work.  Likewise, if one party is focused on hurting their spouse rather than finding a peaceful way to move forward, the mediation won't work.  To successfully mediate a divorce, both parties need to come to the table with the shared  understanding and agreement to end their marriage and the shared desire to do it as peacefully, economically, and expediently as possible.  

Q: Is my case suitable for mediation?

A:  Any case where the participants are ready and able to voice their own needs and interests with the assistance of a neutral third party is suitable for mediation. Relationships with ongoing patterns of domestic violence include a power dynamic that interferes with this process.  Therefore, Shared Mediation doesn't mediate cases with ongoing domestic violence.  

Q: We can't even look at each other, much less talk.  How will we agree on anything?

A: That's the beauty of mediation.  Few people  who are in the midst of divorcing find it easy to reach a sustainable agreement without help.  A mediator will skillfully guide you through each issue that must be addressed in your divorce and assist you in identifying your needs and interests pertaining to those issues so you can craft an agreement that works for both of you.

Q: Will we need a lawyer?