Many clients who come to us for advice on how to file or answer a divorce suit express surprise when we tell them that there may be another way to dissolve their marriages. Not all couples need to go to war or employ a scorched earth policy. In situations where there is little dispute over issues of child custody and property distribution, divorce mediation may be a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to the courtroom.
Mediation requires a degree of transparency and openness to negotiate in good faithfor a settlement that is fair and equitable given all the facts and circumstances of your case. Parties who utilize mediation as an alternative to a litigated divorce report higher satisfaction with the outcome and long-term compliance with the agreement’s terms (thereby lessening or removing the need to go back to court post-divorce on matters like modification or contempt).
If you want to try mediation, your best option is to choose a mediator who is well trained and experienced in the family court system. A psychologist or marriage counselor offering mediation services may help you both feel better by dealing empathetically with your anger issues and co-parenting skills, but may not serve your best interests with respect to legal matters regarding custodial decisions and division of the marital estate. It is widely recommended that parties undergoing divorce seek therapy as a means to address the emotional aspects of the divorce (so that emotions to do impact reasonable decision making and behavior during the proceedings). However, the legal piece of the divorce should best be left to those who practice in that arena.
Attorney Carmina K. Hirsch obtained three distinct mediation certificates while living and working in upstate New York over fifteen years ago where she served as a mediator at a dispute resolution firm. She has trained new mediators and frequently attended continuing legal education (CLE) courses and seminars on topics like utilizing ADR to benefit parties in divorce proceedings. She has mediated hundreds of cases in several issue areas over the last decade and a half, with one of the highest concentrations being family and divorce matters. She and her team have created a negotiation protocol that is both efficient and effective, enabling couples to wrap up their divorces with far less expense in time and money than is common for a litigated Connecticut divorce.
Hirsch Legal LLC serves clients in New Haven and throughout Fairfield County, including in the vibrant cities of Westport, Bridgeport, Milford, Danbury and Stamford. Contact them today to schedule your free consultation.