Mediation

You may be able to work with your spouse to reach a fair divorce agreement outside of court

The Mediation Alternative

Due to the expenses and time involved in divorce litigation, many couples choose to attempt to resolve their issues regarding property division, child custody, and support through mediation rather than going to court. If you can work together productively with your ex, mediation is often in your best interests. However, it is important not to enter into mediation blind to your rights and responsibilities. Experienced divorce attorney Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP can prep you for mediation so you can avoid inadvertently agreeing to an unfair settlement.

What is Mediation?

Family law mediation is a non-adversarial, voluntary process chosen by couples who have decided to separate. It is not therapy or counseling, but rather a conflict resolution system. A couple who has decided to mediate is choosing to work as a team to resolve all of their issues which may include — without limitation — division of property, division of debt, child and spousal support, and child-sharing issues. In choosing mediation, a couple is choosing to retain a mediator and attend a series of meetings to work out reasonable solutions. If the parties decide instead to have attorneys handle their case, they each have legal representation and pay a professional for that representation.

It takes every couple a different period of time to complete mediation. It depends in part on the number of issues the couple has to discuss and on the complexity of their case. But it also depends upon a number of other factors. These could include difficulty in dealing with the emotional aspects of divorce, trial periods for child-sharing schedules, and the desire to wait until a large asset is sold prior to making a final decision on division of other assets. The length of California mediation process could range from six weeks to 2 to 3 years.

Why Choose Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP as Your Mediator

Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP have over 20 years of experience in handling all kinds of divorce cases, including amicable divorces where partners are able to work out many issues on their own. Thanks to our extensive understanding of the law and our dedication to providing personalized legal advice to all of our clients, you can rest assured that if you retain us as your mediator we will provide honest, high-quality advice about your position on any given issue and your best course of action. By forming a relationship with us now, you will be able to respond quickly should mediation fail and you need to go to court after all.

The Divorce Process