Family Law
Mediation
Practically every family law matter ends the same way
Practically every family law matter ends the same way: with a judge signing a judgment or final order. But there are many ways to get to that final signature. The two most common approaches are:
Self-Help
Because lawyers are so expensive, many parties have no choice but to take the Do-It-Yourself approach. They may use a document preparation service or a free court service, such as the family law facilitator, and negotiate the matter without legal assistance; or,
Litigation
“Litigation” in the family law context is when parties each hire separate lawyers who become their attorneys of record and manage their matter, each advocating for their client’s individual interests. The average attorneys’ fees for litigated divorce in California is $17,500.
The most common approaches to family law resolution are not family-oriented.
Consider a better way.
Neither approach is perfect. People who use document preparation services often overlook critical legal rights and responsibilities because they did not have the assistance of counsel. And people who use attorneys often spend far too much money on fees and generate life-long resentments.
Mediation with a Certified Family Law Specialist Attorney
Mediation with a Certified Specialist Attorney provides the parties with some better parts of both approaches. They receive a sound legal education about their particular situation and they use the forum of mediation to arrive at a fair, negotiated resolution, which is then properly distilled by an attorney into a final order for the judge’s signature. And mediation is accomplished at a fraction of the cost of litigation.