Why You Should Consider Divorce Mediation

Divorce mediation offers a calmer, less contentious option to a traditional divorce in South Florida. Mediation is a process in which each spouse mutually agrees to hire a neutral third-party (called a mediator) who meets with the couple to negotiate the details of their divorce. This includes spousal support, division of assets, child support, parenting responsibilities, and all other items that need to be divided between the two spouses. The mediation may occur in one session, but often takes several to complete the process. In contrast, a traditional divorce process can take months or even years to complete. Mediation creates a legally binding divorce agreement that the courts in Palm Beach County and throughout Florida recognize.

Is a Divorce Mediation Right for You?

The state of Florida requires all divorcing couples to attempt to mediate before hearing their case in court. The only exception is cases that involve abuse; these may be granted an exemption. However, as a couple, you can choose to skip straight to mediation and forego the previous steps of meeting and negotiating through attorneys. Divorce mediation is a solution for many, but not all, couples. For mediation to be successful, both spouses must be willing to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement. If one or both spouses is incapable of acting civilly and rationally toward the other, mediation will not be successful.

Mediation offers numerous benefits, including:

• Mediation is faster and less expensive than litigating a divorce, allowing you to restart your life more quickly.
• Mediation gives you more control over the outcome. In a litigated divorce, the judge makes all the decisions and you are legally bound by them. In contrast, in mediation, you have input and the power to jointly decide how you will move forward.
•  Couples generally find mediation less stressful than litigation because it takes place privately in an office, not a public courtroom. Additionally, it is designed to be a cooperative process, whereas litigation is an adversarial process.
• Mediation offers couples the opportunity to develop creative, bespoke solutions that work for them, that a judge would not typically develop.

While mediation has a high success rate, it’s not 100%. All discussions that occur in mediation are strictly confidential; your spouse cannot use any information divulged in the mediation against you in court if the mediation does not succeed.

If mediation sounds like a good fit for you, your first step is to find a Palm Beach County-based divorce mediator. Attorney Samuel Troy is a sought-after divorce mediator in Boca Raton who is certified in Collaborative Law. Mr. Troy mediates divorces for couples who are pro-se (representing themselves) as well as for couples who have each retained attorneys. His creative approaches to finding common ground and breaking through impasses make him the first choice of many couples seeking to mediate their divorces. Contact Troy Legal today to discuss your divorce mediation needs.

Troy Legal, P.A. was founded in 2009 and serves clients throughout South Florida. Troy Legal, P.A., specializes in Marital and Family Law, providing reputable legal services for prenuptial and co-habitation agreements, paternity cases, adoption matters, alimony and child support, time sharing and parenting plans, drafting of qualified domestic relations orders (qdros), mediation services, equitable distributions, collaborative law, post-judgement modification and enforcement, domestic violence cases, and dissolution of marriage or divorce.  Troy Legal, P.A. is dedicated to serving clients through compassionate and aggressive representation, while upholding the highest degree of ethical standards.