If there is a divorce looming in your near future, you’re probably feeling a whole host of emotions. Sadness, fear, anxiety, and stress are just a few of the things on that list. And when the thought of all the necessary business of divorce hits you, you probably feel exhausted to boot.
But divorce doesn’t have to be a lengthy process. If you and your spouse are amenable, you can decide to mediate your way through this difficult time rather than go through painful litigation.
Exactly how long does divorce through mediation take? We’ll discuss that and more today.
What Is Mediation?
Mediation is a process of divorce that allows both parties to take control. Instead of leaving the decisions up to a judge, you will be able to make the choices for your own future.
This method is especially good for parents and people who will need to continue to co-exist despite the divorce.
In addition to being faster and easier than a traditional divorce, divorce through mediation has a higher rate of compliance because both parties came to terms on the agreement together.
How Does It Work?
A mediated divorce involves a person called a family law mediator. This is a person trained to help people resolve their divorce issues. They act as the communication between the couple.
The mediator’s job is to make sure that everyone has their chance to speak without being interrupted. He helps clarify the points that both parties make and asks questions to keep the conversation on track with clear communication.
The mediator will also give you information about how the legal system works and what alternatives you can take to avoid them.
In general, you, your ex, and the mediator will get together in a couple of sessions that range in length from one to two hours.
The first meeting is when you will point out the things that need to be talked about and how important they are. It’s also where you will find out all of the paperwork you will need to gather up in order to speed the process along.
From there on, you’ll use each meeting to talk about the different compromises you need to make in order to meet everyone’s needs. The mediator gives information about the legal system and helpful hints for how other people have handled similar problems.
Eventually, you will meet an agreement and the mediator writes it up for you and your lawyer to approve.
How Long Does It Take?
The answer to this question varies because every marriage and every divorce is different. If you have a lot of assets that you need to divide, or if you and your spouse have a hard time seeing eye to eye, it could take a lot longer.
However, if you can both come to terms pretty easily, you could be looking at a very short process.
One of the major benefits to divorce through mediation is the fact that you won’t have to appear in court. This cuts down on the length of time considerably.
In general, easier cases take about three or four two-hour sessions that the mediator spreads out over a course of a month or so.
Here are a few of things that impact the length of divorce through mediation.
Your Assets
If you have a lot of things that you need to divide, it could take a while. There are more decisions to make.
Likewise, if you’ve come to an agreement on pretty much everything and just have one or two things to work out, the process could go smoothly.
Children
There’s no nice way to put it: children make divorce difficult. People are usually willing to compromise when it comes to financial matters. But when you add children to the mix, it gets sticky.
Expect to spend a while in mediation when it comes to the custody of your kids. But it’s worth it, you want something that’s going to work for all the parties involved.
Willingness to Compromise
Your mediator can’t tell you what you have to do. They don’t make the choices or give orders. They’re only there to help you compromise and meet a mutual agreement.
If you and your spouse aren’t willing to meet in the middle on some things, it’s going to take forever.
Complications
There are a number of complications that can make your mediation go a little longer than average. However, that’s still a small price to pay when you consider the cost and time that goes into a traditional divorce.
It’s very rare for a divorcing couple to agree on everything. But even if you can’t agree on basically anything, there is still a purpose behind mediation.
Even taking one or two items off of the list of litigation can cut down the length of time you are in court.
In fact, even if you and your spouse can’t get along, there’s still reason to attempt mediation. Even though couples who are amicable usually choose this route, it doesn’t mean it’s a rule.
It’s part of the mediator’s job to help both parties communicate even when emotions run high. It is possible to get through mediation even in situations like these.
Managing Divorce through Mediation
Divorce is hard, that’s a simple fact. It’s exhausting and it can sometimes make you feel like you don’t want to even get out of bed in the morning. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You can make divorce as painless as possible when you choose to settle divorce through mediation.
For more information getting divorced and what you need to do to protect yourself, visit us today!