Divorces involve resolving many contentious issues like asset division and child custody. Fights over these issues can add stress to a process that can already be distressing simply because it involves ending a marriage. However, if you seek a way other than going to court to resolve your divorce, you may find it more beneficial and less stressful.
Mediation is one alternate method of handling your divorce. While mediation is not for every couple, many couples have benefited from the use of mediation. Money Crashers explains different ways mediation can be an improvement over a divorce trial.
Reduce divorce expenses
Divorces are not cheap affairs. Between hiring legal representation and paying court costs, divorce can eat a hole in your wallet and could eat a bigger one if your spouse drags out the proceedings. By contrast, the costs of hiring a mediator are lower, and the mediation process eliminates a lot of expenses you would have to pay if you went to court.
Minimize emotional distress
Hashing out your divorce in a court setting can inflame your competitive impulses and those of your spouse, encouraging disharmony instead of discouraging it. While mediation may not completely eliminate emotional turmoil, it could do a lot to minimize it by providing a civil forum that fosters cooperation instead of competition.
Enhance privacy
If a divorce goes to trial, the proceedings will become part of public record. As a result, a divorce trial could reveal embarrassing details about your life to the public. Since mediation is not a public process, you can keep details of your divorce private. It can also enhance privacy for your children as well.
Encourage communication
Communicating with your spouse can be difficult, but if you share custody of children, you will need to work out ongoing matters with your spouse such as which of you gets custody on particular dates. By going through mediation, it may help you develop a method of communicating with your spouse which can form the basis of your co-parenting venture in the years ahead.
