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Topics

• Child-Inclusive Mediation FAQ
• Courses FAQ
• Divorce
• MEDIATE FAQ
• Mediation and Arbitration
• Parent Coordinator FAQ
• Parenting Plans
• Property Division
• Support
• Voice Of The Child FAQ

Top Questions

• What is the cost of mediation?

  Family mediators operate as private businesses and are not regulated, therefore, their fees can vary. Some courts and community agencies offer mediation services for fees that are charged according to the spouses’ incomes. A family lawyer will be able to provide recommended names of family mediators and the availability of mediation services through the courts and community agencies.

• Who will be my mediator?

  Your mediator will be assigned to you based on the information provided in your intake forms. All our mediators have multiple years of experience working with families and children to help our clients succeed.

• What is mediation/arbitration?

  Other than mediation and litigation, other methods that are available to settle the outstanding issues are neutral evaluation, arbitration and mediation/arbitration. Mediation/arbitration is a dispute resolution method that is a hybrid of mediation and arbitration. There is a debate as to the propriety of a professional acting as both a mediator (who does not give an opinion or decision) and an arbitrator (whose only role is to give a decision). Mediation/arbitration is prohibited by the Arbitration Act, however, the spouses may specifically waive that prohibition. In mediation/arbitration, the mediator/arbitrator first attempts to settle the issues through mediation. Mediation may turn into arbitration if the mediator/arbitrator determines that mediation has failed. The mediator/arbitrator then ignores all the information that had been exchanged in the mediation and hears the matter afresh as an arbitration. The mediator/arbitrator cannot mediate while he or she is arbitrating and cannot arbitrate while he or she is mediating.

• When can I ask for a divorce?

  As soon as one of the following three circumstances has occurred: the other spouse has committed adultery, the other spouse has committed cruelty, or the spouses have separated. As soon as one of these circumstances has occurred, a spouse can commence an application for divorce. If separation is used as the ground to obtain a divorce, the spouses need to have been separated for at least one year before a judge will grant a divorce order.

• How long will on-site mediation take?

   Your intake meeting will last about one hour. The mediation will last between 1-3 hours depending on the circumstances.

• How do I know if mediation is right for me?

  Mediation is an opportunity to try to settle your case. In most cases, we are able to help parties have productive conversations with the mediator. But it is not right for everyone. If you and the other party are both willing to try to reach an agreement rather than have the court decide for you, we suggest you submit your intake forms and schedule separate intake meetings. This will help you and us decide if mediation is suitable in your case. Even if you do not proceed with mediation, you will both receive good information and supportive referrals.