WV Family Law Mediator Discusses Top Three Reasons to Love Family Law Mediation
Here at Adams Legal Group, we love helping people with family law mediations. In our experience, sitting down with both parties (preferably over a good cup of coffee), and helping them openly discuss the issues involved in their case, with the common goal of reaching a resolution, often results in the best outcome. When we serve as mediators, our goal is to offer compassionate and creative solutions to parties in order to help them reach an agreement. If you are considering participating in a family law mediation, and need convincing, read on for the top three reasons why there is so much to love about family law mediation.
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It Allows You To Be The Master Of Your Own Destiny
In a mediation session, you have control over the outcome of what happens in your case. You can agree to things that you are agreeable to and let the other party know where you stand on the issues you are not agreeable to. It opens up a dialogue that doesn’t always happen in divorce or custody disputes otherwise. Every mediation session has the common goal of reaching resolution. The goal of a good mediator is to find common ground, and to help the parties reach an agreement that they are comfortable with. If you are able to resolve your issues through a mediation session, you get to control the outcome of your future. In our experience, this usually better than having the Judge decide for you.
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Family Law Mediation is Cost Effective.
Mediation sessions vary in cost, but in general, are significantly less costly than hiring an attorney to represent you individually or in litigating a case through to a Final Hearing. Additionally, unless there is an agreement otherwise, both parties are equally responsible for the costs of mediation-so you more likely end up paying a fraction of what you would otherwise for a full-blown divorce or custody dispute. Participating in one mediation session, split equally between both parties, is much cheaper than retaining an attorney, particularly if you are able to resolve all of the matters in your case in one mediation session.
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It’s Quicker Than Fighting It Out In Court
Piggy-backing onto point 2, above, participating in a single family law mediation session, where you are able to resolve all of the issues in your case, is a lot quicker than spending several months (and several thousand dollars if you’ve hired an attorney), litigating your case in Family Court. Even though no divorce is easy, mediating your case can also save a lot of heartache and hard feelings, which can sometimes intensify over months as your case lingers in Court while you’re waiting for a Final Hearing.
However, even after participating in a family law mediation and resolving your case by reaching a full settlement on all issues, you will unfortunately still have to appear for a Hearing with the Judge to confirm your mediated agreement (the mediator can’t be called to testify for you or to present the agreement on your behalf). Sometimes the Court may take weeks or even months to schedule your first/next hearing, but having a mediated settlement agreement can help that one hearing be a “one and done” type of event where your divorce (or other family law matter) is completely resolved.
Contact Us For Your Family Law Mediation
At Adams Legal Group, we have significant experience in family law matters in the State of West Virginia. We have handled hundreds of mediations and have successfully helped people reach final agreements in their family law cases. If you are considering a family law mediation in your case, please give us a call for a free initial case consultation at (304) 381-2166
