There are a lot of decisions to make as you start to move your divorce proceedings along. One of the first things you’ll have to decide is which option is best for you: divorce litigation, divorce mediation, or representing yourself? At Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell we can help with any three of these choices. Here are some of the reasons that people choose a mediator over their other options.
The basic facts about mediation
When you choose mediation, you’re choosing a process that’s non-adversarial and voluntary. This isn’t therapy and it isn’t counseling, but it is a way to work towards resolutions to your conflicts in the most amicable way possible. Some issues that may be dealt with during mediation include:
- Division of property
- Child support
- Child-sharing
- Division of debt
- Spousal support
When you and your spouse or partner choose mediation, you’ll attend a series of meetings during which the two of you and your mediator will work to find reasonable solutions you both agree to. If you decide you’d rather have an attorney handle the case, then you’ll each have your own legal representation and will pay the professional cost of doing so.
The length of mediation depends on the couple and the situation
The length of mediation will vary depending on the couple and several other factors. The biggest factor is likely the number of issues that must be discussed. For example, a couple with no children and few joint assets could likely get through mediation more quickly than a couple with a blended family and several homes.
Other factors that can affect the timeframe include the emotional aspects of their separation, how long they want to test out trial periods for child-sharing, and whether or not they want to wait for their largest assets to sell before finalizing the division of their other assets. In general, the California mediation process could take anywhere from just a month and a half to several years.
Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP are your top choice for mediation
When you work with Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell you’re working with a firm that has decades of experience handling divorce cases of all kinds, including cases where both partners are willing to work out their issues on their own. What we bring to the table is an extensive understanding of the laws that affect you and your spouse, as well as a deep dedication to provide you with personalized legal advice.
When you choose to work with us, you can count on the fact that we’ll be honest and will bring you the advice you need. We will give you our opinion about the right course of action to move forward but will always respect your ability to make your own final decision.
While the goal of any mediation is to get things settled quickly and amicably, in some cases the mediation falls apart. If that’s the case for you, and you end up having to move on to divorce litigation, working with an attorney during your mediation will give you a leg-up as we’ll already be familiar with your case and ready to move forward. Contact Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell at 909-482-1422 today for an appointment.
