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Can a high-conflict, high-asset divorce be mediated?

On Behalf of | Apr 11, 2019 | Mediation |

There are many benefits to mediating a high-asset divorce. For instance, couples in Florida with significant assets have a major stake in the outcome of the property division process. Mediation allows the parties to retain control over the outcome of the property division process, and they may also be able to keep the details of the settlement private. This may make the parties more satisfied with the outcome of their divorce.

However, not every divorce is amicable, especially when a couple has a significant amount of wealth that they both feel entitled to. They may find it impossible to even be in the same room as one another, much less engage in civil negotiations. In situations like this, is divorce mediation even an option?

Mediation may still be an option, even in a high-conflict divorce. When mediating a divorce, each party can be in a separate room, and the mediator can serve as a go-between, facilitating discussions between the parties.

Mediators are a neutral third-party, so it may be easier for a spouse to communicate with the mediator rather than directly with their ex. Mediators can help couples focus on their divorce legal issues and on their lives post-divorce, rather than having the couple dwell on the reasons why they are pursuing a divorce in the first place. Moreover, by mediating a divorce, couples can set the stage for future cooperation, which could be very beneficial if they have children.

Especially when a significant of money and assets are at stake, a high-asset divorce that is also a high-conflict divorce can result in a lot of resentment and a winner-take-all mentality. However, in any divorce, there are arguably no winners and losers. There are simply two people who are no longer in love with one another and want to end their marriage. Mediation can be one way that couples seeking a divorce can retain control over the outcome of their dissolution, so they can move forward into the future feeling satisfied.

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