What It Takes to Have a Successful Mediation

Perhaps the biggest hang-up residents of the Denver area may have about divorce mediation, or any other family law mediation, is that they feel that their position on the issues is so different from that of the other side. Thus, they get the impression that any attempt to agree would be a waste of time.

However, there are several ways in which a person can prepare for and approach mediation in order to make it likely that the mediation will resolve the case. Of course, this does not mean that every divorce mediation can, or should, end in a compromise.

On the other hand, a successful mediation, as we've discussed before, can save a person time, money, and stress. Moreover, it can prevent ongoing parental conflict that can really take an emotional toll on a couple's children.

In many respects, the key to a successful mediation involves several basic steps. For one, both the person and their attorney need to be adequately prepared, just as if they were getting ready to go in front of a judge. Moreover, people need to be committed to the idea that a settlement could be in their best interests even if it does take time to achieve. On a more practical level, it is important that a good mediator, who also is the right fit for the case, handles the mediation.

On a related point, there are better and worse times in the course of a case to try mediation. If it happens too early, then people may not feel like they have enough information or incentive to agree. On the flip side, a mediation that is too late could be fruitless if legal battle lines have already been drawn.

No Colorado resident wants to waste time by mediating only to come to no resolutions whatsoever. There are ways in which an attorney can help a client avoid this situation, to the extent that doing so is possible, so that they have the best chance of coming to a fair agreement.

Tags: Divorce Mediation