Archive for July, 2009
Posted by cadivorceblawg on July 29, 2009
Following up on my article, “How to Start a Divorce Mediation – Contacting a Mediator,” today’s post focuses on how you can prepare for your divorce mediation.
Usually, your mediator will let you know what you need to do to prepare for each session. However, there are some things that you can take care of now. In order to get the most out of your mediation you need to gather the information necessary to make decisions about your property, your children, and your future.
Property
You and your spouse will have accumulated property over the course of your marriage. This includes real property, such as the family home, cars, jewelry, and even furniture. You might also have loans or other debts.
At some point, your mediator will ask you for a list of all your assets and debts, when each was acquired, its current value, and who owns or owes it. Your mediator will also want to know how you plan to divide your furniture and other household items. Start this list now because it will take time to gather all the information. It is also useful to have documentation for bigger items.
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Posted in Divorce Mediation | Tagged: California, Divorce, Divorce Mediation, Marriage, Mediation | Leave a Comment »
Posted by cadivorceblawg on July 22, 2009
A caucus is a private meeting between the mediator and only one of the parties. While caucusing has proved to be very effective in employment law, real estate, and other civil litigation disputes, it is a controversial topic in divorce mediation.
Divorce mediation is meant to help divorcing couples reach an agreement that is satisfying to both of them. With the aid of a mediator, the parties negotiate the terms of their settlement agreement so that they can ultimately dissolve their marriage in a civilized and productive way. Essentially, communication between the parties is key to a successful mediation.
Following the idea of communication, a caucus seems counterproductive. In fact, a family mediator should consider the following disadvantages before agreeing to or suggesting a caucus.
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Posted in Caucus, Divorce Mediation | Tagged: California, Divorce, Divorce Mediation, Family Law, Mediation | Leave a Comment »
Posted by cadivorceblawg on July 14, 2009
I recently read an interesting article about a new area of family mediation, called Marital Mediation. While it is not couples therapy, the goal of marital mediation is to help couples stay together.
According to the article, “Marital Mediation uses mediation techniques to open and improve lines of communication, helps couples address areas of friction in their relationship, and develop “guidelines” that focus on the behavioral changes each person will make in order to lessen future conflict.”
One key aspect of marital mediation is to teach couples communication skills they can use in their marriage or partnership.
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Posted in Marital Mediation | Tagged: Divorce, Family Law, Marital Mediation, Marriage, Mediation | 2 Comments »
Posted by cadivorceblawg on July 7, 2009
In divorce mediation, the mediator’s role is to guide you through the divorce mediation process, help you communicate with each other, and provide objective information to help you make informed decisions and reach an agreement.
In some situations, consulting a professional is necessary to help couples overcome their complex issues. That does not mean that divorce court is the only option left. On the contrary, inviting experts into the mediation is often a beneficial decision.
Experts in Family Court
When you need expert advice or testimony in family court, each of you will hire your own expert. He or she will work with your attorney to arrive at a position that is most favorable to you. In the end, a judge will consider two usually completely opposite opinions and make a decision.
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Posted in Consultants, Divorce, Divorce Mediation | Tagged: California, Court, Divorce, Divorce Mediation, Family Law, Mediation | 4 Comments »
