Orange County Divorce Mediation

Divorce does not always have to end in a dramatic, emotionally and financially draining court battle. Few people actually look forward to such an ordeal and want to move on with their lives as quickly as possible. Litigated divorces can take a long time to drag through the court system. Extensive discovery, depositions, and document demands may be required on both sides, causing the parties to expend a great deal of time, effort, and money to deal with the litigation. Also the emotional toll of a litigated divorce can affect the wellbeing of the parties and their children as they suffer through an extended period of stress in their lives. If given the option of pursuing divorce mediation rather than divorce litigation, given the enormous emotional and financial cost of litigation, I believe most people would choose mediation.

What is the Divorce Mediation Process?

Divorce mediation is a process in which the divorcing couple negotiates their own marital settlement agreement. Obviously couples facing divorce often have trouble communicating with each other much less negotiating with each other. That is where a trained family law mediator like Derrick Taberski comes in. In his role as a mediator, Derrick can assist the parties in understanding the issues in their case, identifying the points on which they agree, and facilitating the negotiation process to help the parties reach a resolution of their divorce issues. Derrick takes a solution-centered approach to divorce that minimizes personal conflicts. Generally it takes two or three mediation sessions to work through all of the outstanding issues and draft a marital settlement agreement. The parties work closely with the mediator to satisfy their legal disclosure obligations regarding property and finances. By pursuing a mediated divorce parties can save thousands of dollars and finish their divorce much more quickly than they might otherwise have done in a litigated divorce.

Benefits of Orange County Divorce Mediation

Parties generally benefit from the less contentious atmosphere of a mediated divorce. The reduced stress involved in their lives also benefits the children. Even if they cannot express it, children are very attuned to their parents' emotional states. Keeping the level of contention down can certainly help your children. Parties able to mediate their divorce issues also generally have a better time co-parenting than those people with a litigious mindset. Communication is key to a marriage and also to a divorce, especially if children are involved. Parties who mediate during their divorce are more likely to communicate and resolve the issues that come up afterwards rather than running to court at the drop of a hat. Keeping the mediation mindset can still save you money in the long run by minimizing your legal fees.

Orange County Divorce Mediation Assistance

Call us today at (714) 900-3627 or use the link below to schedule a free initial consultation and discuss your mediation options. Your divorce mediators

How Much Does Mediation Cost?

Divorce mediation services are billed at $250 per hour for mediator time, such as conducting mediation sessions and drafting the parties' judgment, and at $150 per hour for paralegal time. It is customary for the parties to each pay half the fees unless they agree otherwise. Mediation can save you money because both parties are using the same professional to prepare their documents and draft their agreement and are splitting the cost. Usually, this comes to half of what you might otherwise pay an attorney to represent just one party in a divorce.