What Is The Role Of The Mediator In A Divorce?
Mediators play a vital role during the divorce process. The process of mediation is considered the quickest and cheapest way to dissolve a marriage. Many judges will require that divorcing couples give mediation a try prior to attempting to litigate a divorce. The mediator acts as a neutral third party who helps both spouses to end their divorce during the mediation process. In this article, we’ll discuss the role of the mediator in a Florida divorce.
Understanding the mediation process
Mediation is the cheapest and most time-efficient way to dissolve a marriage. Judges tend to prefer mediation to litigation because it reduces the burden on the courts. Mediation occurs with the help of a neutral third party who acts in the best interests of the divorce. While you can have your own attorney represent you during a mediation, you are not required to have your own attorney represent you during the process. Indeed, it will be cheaper not to.
Your divorce mediator will educate you on the law
Since the goal of divorce mediation is to avoid litigation, which is costly, time-consuming, and fuels animosity, the mediator should be an educator who describes how the process would work if it went before a judge. The mediator will thus inform both parties concerning how Florida law works in matters of asset distribution, alimony, and child custody. The role of the mediator is to educate both parties on the likely outcome should the matter go before a judge.
The mediator will keep the playing field level
A good divorce mediator will ensure that the interests of both parties are considered while the divorce is being finalized. The goal of the mediator is to establish a divorce decree that ensures that both spouses’ voices are heard and their concerns are addressed. A good divorce mediator will validate the perspectives of both parties concerning what they consider to be fair. The divorce mediator will point out issues that a court would consider unfair under Florida law. The role of the divorce mediator is to help to craft creative solutions to issues that the spouses currently cannot agree on. In many cases, what is fair may not end up being ideal to either spouse.
The mediator helps the couple avoid acrimony in the divorce process
The best divorce mediators are negotiators who specialize in divorce mediation. This helps them establish the best way to deal with contentious issues that the couple is facing. In cases where the couple cannot seem to agree on important issues, the mediator will discuss how the matter would be handled by a court or a judge. Essentially, the mediator doesn’t act as a judge who issues a formal ruling, but discusses what a formal ruling might look like if the matter made its way before a judge.
Talk to a Divorce Mediation Attorney in Tampa, FL
Faulkner Law Group, PLLC represents the interests of couples who are seeking a divorce mediator in Tampa, FL. Call our Tampa family lawyer today to schedule an appointment and we can begin arranging your mediation immediately.
