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Mediation can be a powerful tool when it comes to resolving contentious issues during a divorce or child-custody dispute. Mediation is a required step in the divorce process under New Jersey law and you should make sure your chosen law firm has extensive experience with mediated dispute resolution.
Financial matters and child custody issues are the most common sticking points in a divorce. Reaching a mediated divorce agreement offers a number of advantages, including a faster and less costly dissolution compared to litigating a contested divorce.
Our Middletown divorce mediation lawyers know mediation can also offer more control over the final outcome, and offers more privacy and confidentiality than a litigated divorce. A mediated settlement may also allow spouses to maintain a better relationship, which can be important when children are involved or an ongoing business or financial arrangement must be maintained.
NJ Divorce: Mediation or Litigation
A mediated dissolution does not mean you don’t need an experienced New Jersey divorce attorney. To the contrary, as any agreement you make in mediation may become binding. And, as we’ve discussed on our New Jersey Family Law Attorneys blog, asset protection, taxes, alimony, child custody and child support are all complex legal issues with significant ramifications. However, unlike a judge or arbitrator, a mediator’s job is to facilitate agreement between separating spouses, and to productively guide the conversation.
Spouses seeking divorce in New Jersey may be required to attend several types of mediation, including a Parent Education Program supervised by a court-appointed mediator, as well as custody mediation and a Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel. The MESP seeks to address issues involving division of property by presenting disagreements to a panel of attorney experts, which will make a recommendation. Attending these mediation meetings is always best done with experienced legal help. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the absence of a judge. For example, the MESP takes place at the courthouse, where reaching an agreement can result in an immediate appointment with the judge who will want the case finalized “on the record”. In cases where custody mediation and a parenting plan are in place, a divorce may be immediately finalized.
Experienced divorce lawyers in Middletown can often resolve all issues through mediation. At Rozin|Golinder Law LLC, we offer mediation services and divorce representation throughout Middlesex, Monmouth, and Somerset counties. In cases where issues remain, much of a divorce settlement can be mediated, with only select issues left for the court to decide.
Preserving relationships is perhaps the best advantage of mediation. Mediation can be used for many family law issues, including adoption, co-habitation, domestic partnerships, grandparent rights, pre-nuptial agreements and separation agreements.
By coming to an agreement in mediation, both sides can keep control of the outcome while maintaining a reasonable working relationship, which can bring invaluable peace of mind.
Call Rozin|Golinder Law, LLC today for a free and confidential consultation.