Resolving issues and creating agreements through mediation can have many benefits:
Better communication
Mediation can provide an opportunity for you to have better communication with your partner/ex-partner in the future and can create a better environment for children at home too. It is much easier on children when parents co-operate and it helps to continue important family relationships.
Flexibility
Family circumstances can change and children’s needs may evolve over time as they grow. With mediation, agreements can be changed in the future if required. You stay in control over the decision making process. In court, a judge will made the decisions and they may not be in line with what you think is best for your family. You will need to comply with the court order, even if one or both of you feel unhappy about it.
If you do require an agreement which is legally binding, any agreements made in mediation can be turned into a consent order and this can differ between children and financial matters. However the fact that the parties have voluntarily reached the agreement means that it is more likely to succeed. The benefit of a mutually beneficial agreement over a court imposed solution is that there is no court order to comply with, only the agreement you both have set for yourself.
Lower costs
Mediation is less expensive than going to court.
Quicker timeframes
Mediation can normally start straight away and can reach a resolution within months. In comparison, it can take months to schedule the first court appearance and sometimes years to resolve disputes via the court process. Mediation can help to get on with your life as quickly as possible.
Direct
Disagreements can be discussed in the room in a safe and structured environment. This enables open dialogue and the ability to resolve issues more effectively.
Less stressful
Separation and divorce is a challenging time for families. Mediation can help you to create a better environment, especially if children are involved, whilst allowing your views to be heard. Going to court can be extremely stressful and there is uncertainty about what the outcome will actually be in a court case.