Mediation

Mediation is a process which allows people to resolve their family disputes and reach an agreement with the help of a neutral third party. It is a voluntary process also known as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and it offers our clients a private and confidential way to resolve their differences. Attorney Karen Reynolds is a trained Mediator.

For mediation to work, it requires both sides to commit to the process. In other words, the individuals must put aside their differences and commit to making an agreement. Each must also agree to make a full financial disclosure in order to accomplish this goal. Clearly, a person can only be confident in the process (or any agreement resulting from the process) if he or she knows that all information is out in the open and available for examination by both. When the parties can trust that each is making full financial disclosure and being completely transparent with the other, the ADR process can be a wise alternative to the adversarial process of Divorce or Dissolution of a Civil Union.

Many individuals would rather not bring the details of their private lives into public view while they are going through a divorce. Financial affidavits remained sealed in cases where parties reach an agreement. Otherwise, all information in your divorce, custody or dissolution file is available for the public to view. For individuals who desire privacy as opposed to the court process, Attorney Karen Reynolds offers Mediation services. Through Mediation, clients are afforded the opportunity to keep their family and business information private and confidential and often, it can be a less expensive way to proceed. ADR is also available to aid in resolving custody and visitation arguments, and can facilitate agreements in many post judgment issues.

Using court appearances to resolve Family Law issues is not only costly, it can be confrontational. Attorney Karen Reynolds has many years of litigation experience in the Family Law area. However, like most Family lawyers with this kind of experience, she knows that a court-forced resolution often yields a result that neither party likes. Unlike Court, Mediation provides the clients a safe forum where neither person wins or loses and where there is the flexibility to create multiple possibilities for resolution. Since the parties can control the structure of their own agreement; they are more apt to be happy with result, and therefore, less likely to return to court after they have entered their Agreement on the record as a Judgment.

The Mediation process enables each person to truly understand the other’s position. Alternative Dispute Resolution helps each individual identify the interests which are personal to their case and it requires both parties to be instrumental in creating possible solutions. Clients can draft an agreement designed for their own personal needs and those of their children, without airing their differences in public.

Once the parties reach an agreement, they are each encouraged to review it independently with separate counsel to ensure their rights are being protected and that the obligations they have negotiated have been spelled out without ambiguity.

Often, when going through the process of a Family Law Matter, such as a divorce, or child custody dispute, or even a property settlement, people are experiencing the most difficult time of their lives. Forcing an individual to undergo litigation at this time period can have a very damaging impact on the parties and their children. Mediation can be and often is a wise alternative.

If you and your partner are interested in committing to the process of Mediation, call for your free consultation.