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Difference between revisions of "Family Law Mediation"
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===Getting organized=== | ===Getting organized=== | ||
If mediation is being undertaken as an alternative to litigation rather than to achieve a settlement in the middle of the litigation process, the mediator may ask everyone to come to an initial meeting in order to assess the dynamic between the parties, explain the process of mediation, talk about the exchange of documents, and discuss costs. Some mediators prefer to arrange separate, individual interviews with the parties, while others will ask the parties to each fill out a questionnaire, and others will be happy with a couple of telephone calls. | If mediation is being undertaken as an alternative to litigation rather than to achieve a settlement in the middle of the litigation process, the mediator may ask everyone to come to an initial meeting in order to | ||
<span class="noglossary">assess</span> the dynamic between the parties, explain the process of mediation, talk about the exchange of documents, and discuss | |||
<span class="noglossary">costs</span>. Some mediators prefer to arrange separate, individual interviews with the parties, while others will ask the parties to each fill out a questionnaire, and others will be happy with a couple of telephone calls. | |||
Next, the parties and the mediator will agree to a schedule of meetings, the ground rules for these meetings, and the objects or goals of the process. Sometimes the decisions as to ground rules and goals are left to the parties themselves; it is their process, after all, not that of the mediator. If the parties are using lawyers, this step may be left out since ground rules aren't required or because the lawyers will be able to agree on the ground rules between themselves. Whether there are multiple meetings or not depends largely on the parties and the number of issues outstanding. Often a single half- or full-day meeting will produce a settlement. | Next, the parties and the mediator will agree to a schedule of meetings, the ground rules for these meetings, and the objects or goals of the process. Sometimes the decisions as to ground rules and goals are left to the parties themselves; it is their process, after all, not that of the mediator. If the parties are using lawyers, this step may be left out since ground rules aren't required or because the lawyers will be able to agree on the ground rules between themselves. Whether there are multiple meetings or not depends largely on the parties and the number of issues outstanding. Often a single half- or full-day meeting will produce a settlement. | ||