Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process where two parties sit down to resolve their issues with the help of a neutral third party.  This process is very successful in family law matters such as divorce, paternity, custody, child support and parenting plans. It can be used prior to litigation, during litigation, or instead of litigation.  The Courts encourage the parties to make decisions on what’s best for their individual families.  A Judge is bound by the law when determining how a divorce should be resolved or how parents should participate in their children’s lives.  As such, it should be the parties who make these decisions and mediation empowers the parties to control the outcome.  My office offers a comprehensive program complete with both individual and joint sessions to ensure an agreement that coincides with the needs of your family, as well as all-encompassing divorce and parental agreements that can be tailored to your specific situation.

Mediation can also be used to assist in probate matters involving elder care decisions.  With the increasing number of older Americans requiring assistance with personal, money, and medical decisions.  The common goal is to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the elder but sometimes that comes at the expense of the elder’s opinions and desires.  A mediator can help facilitate a discussion that enables all parties to feel heard while encouraging these same parties to make decisions that work best for their family.  Living arrangements, caregiving, medical care, driving and family member participation are all the types of issues that are ripe for mediation.

Whatever the need for resolution, mediation encourages communications between the parties by providing the opportunity for all sides to be heard in a safe and open environment.  Often, mediation can be much cheaper than hiring two attorneys to reach an agreement through litigation.  It can also help the parties reach settlement much faster than litigation.  Each mediation session includes at least one individual session and two joint sessions with the parties.  As a mediator, I do not represent either party, I do not take sides, and I do not tell you how to resolve the matter.  Confidentiality is key as is cooperation for a successful mediation.  Even if the parties are unable to reach an agreement, it is likely the parties will leave the experience with a better understanding of their issues.  Contact my office today to discuss whether mediation is right for you.