When people think about divorce, they may immediately think of messy court battles and arguments. Divorce involves many different factors and it can be difficult to decide how to divide all your assets and figure out a settlement.
However, divorce does not always have to be messy and involve a long trial. There are alternatives to the “traditional” divorce process. One of the more common alternatives is mediation.
Mediation involves a neutral mediator who can help both you and your spouse come to an agreement that benefits both parties. Like anything, mediation has pros and cons.
Pros
One of the major positive aspects of mediation is its fostering of a calmer environment to work out disputes. Mediation does not typically involve intense arguments and it can help keep tempers even and relationships relatively intact.
Mediation can help you preserve a relationship with your spouse since it foregoes a court battle. It can also be easier on your children as the process is more peaceful. The process of mediation also helps you get what you want since you are running the decision making process, rather than a court.
Opting for mediation can also make a settlement arrangement happen faster and reduce expenses.
Cons
Some of the negative results of mediation mostly have to do with complications in the agreement. A mediated settlement can lead to legal complications or an unenforceable agreement. In some cases, a settlement based on mediation can also result in an unfair arrangement for one spouse.
Litigation is not the only method of divorce that works. Mediation may be a method you want to look into based on your situation. You can look into the different ways of divorce proceedings to see which best suits you.
