Mediation is a form of settlement negotiation in which the parties and their attorneys meet with an experienced mediator, typically a family law attorney or retired family court judge, whose job is to try to facilitate a compromise between the parties in order to avoid having a judge decide the parties’ issues, or to at least narrow down the issues for the judge to decide if a full settlement is not possible.
There are many advantages to mediation, the most important of which is that the vast majority of family law cases actually are settled and never require a trial. Most parties to a successful mediation feel they actively participated in reaching a resolution of their issues. Also, it is far less expensive to resolve a case through mediation than to take a case to trial. A successful mediation often facilitates the spirit of cooperation, as many parties to a divorce or who are involved in post-decree litigation will continue to have dealings with one another once the case is technically over.
The attorneys at Johnson Cook Abbott Ahrens & Shiffman PLLC are experienced negotiators who have assisted hundreds of clients in effectively settling their cases.