Dakota County Law Blog

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Why is Divorce Mediation Better than CourtWhy is Divorce Mediation Better than Court

While the Minnesota divorce mediation process doesn’t get as much press and pop culture representation as major court battles, the mediation process is still a perfectly viable option.

Lawyers who know family law can help you avoid going to court altogether because court battles aren’t always the best or choice option. Sometimes, it’s better to just work things out through mediation and keep things from getting heated. You might have everything settled in just one day rather than letting the legal battle drag for weeks on end.

Time Saver

The mediation process is meant to save time for all parties involved. In most cases, the mediation process can start almost immediately. On the other hand, court cases can take several months before scheduling the first court date. Resolving court cases, moreover, can require years. Court cases are not beneficial when it comes to saving you time.

To put it another way, you don’t know how long a court case will last or when it will be finally completed. There’s the potential that the verdict itself could be repealed until the other party is satisfied or until they finally relent.

The mediation process can be completed in roughly a day. Both parties must arrive at a mutual conclusion or else nothing changes. No one forces you to make a decision that day. You can refuse all offers or accept the first one that works out.

More Relaxed

Going through the mediation process is not the same as entering a courtroom. It’s less formal and potentially, more relaxed. Every court battle is regulated by multiple rules that don’t allow you to perhaps be as frank or as open as you might want to be.

The mediation process enables everyone to be more engaged with the discussion at hand since there aren’t as many rules.

The person who serves as your mediator doesn’t need to merely focus on your stated position. Their role is to act as an assistant to everyone involved, a caretaker so to speak.

They’re there to be a listening ear to what might otherwise be a deaf world. Voice your concerns and voice what you need, but be careful to avoid showing your weaknesses.

Less Public

The mediation process is not as public as court battles. By default, court battles are public. Anyone can get information on court battles if they feel led to. Besides, there are plenty of records that come from court battles that can include juicy little details. Gossips love those details.

Conversations held inside of the mediation process, on the other hand, cannot be talked about later on.

While it’s true that if someone learns about something during the process and acts on it, they still cannot disclose the information that they’ve learned. Whatever is said in the mediation process is meant to stay within the mediation process.

Remember, this process is a replacement for going to court. There can be messy parts of the past that are discussed.

So, it may be best to talk about them in a more private setting with a mediation lawyer that you can trust.

Control Your Destiny

Forget about having to deal with the court. As long as your case begins and ends with the mediation process, you may never see or much less speak to a family court court judge. The mediation process helps put back power into your hands. You get to say yes. You get to say no. No one is forcing you to agree to anything.

Rather than letting yourself be hounded by someone else, you can shoot back with counter offers. It’s not simply about you accepting one of their offers. Make your own suggestions and offers, too. The playing grounds are equal, enabling you to negotiate freely.

Don’t forget that the person who is working as the mediator is there to help you and will be the one to ensure your desires are well represented. They can be bold in your place.

Minnesota Divorce Mediation Lawyers

If court doesn’t sound like the best option for you, consider getting help with the Minnesota mediation process.  Joseph M. Flanders can assist you, a family law mediator.  They understand that you might not want to go to court.

Just dial 612-424-0398 and set up a free consultation.

Court is not your only option because family law lawyers can help you find another way.

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