Roseville Divorce Mediation Lawyer

ROSEVILLE DIVORCE MEDIATION ATTORNEY, Sara S. Thompson – Mediation can save time, stress, and money. Instead of fighting in court, the parties meet with an attorney mediator to work through and work out the terms of their divorce. This includes property division, child custody and visitation, child support, and spousal support. The mediator does not represent either party. They are a neutral third party that guides the parties through the divorce process.

What Is Divorce Mediation?

Divorce mediation is a process in which spouses voluntarily agree to hire a neutral attorney mediator to facilitate their divorce outside of court. Instead of arguing their positions in front of a judge, spouses come together to negotiate their divorce issues with the mediator’s guidance. Issues commonly resolved through mediation include property division, legal and physical custody, visitation, child support, and spousal support.

Typically, couples who utilize divorce mediation are relatively financially stable, can communicate respectfully when boundaries are set, and are motivated to settle their issues. Mediation can take place before filing for divorce, during the divorce process, or after litigation has commenced to help spouses resolve outstanding issues.

Courts in California encourage parties to mediate family law issues, especially when children are involved. The court knows that divorcing couples who reach their own agreements are more likely to follow through with them in the long run.

In the United States, 45 states report their divorce rates. Of those that provide this data, there were 673,989 divorces and annulments in 2022. In the same year, 2,065,905 marriages occurred, making the marriage rate in the United States 6.2 per 1,000.

Mediation vs. Litigation

Divorce litigation and mediation differ in terms of procedures, tone, pacing, and final decision-maker. During litigation, spouses hire separate attorneys who advocate on their behalf and navigate the court process to reach a resolution. If the parties cannot settle their dispute through negotiation alone, a judge decides the unresolved issues after hearing each party’s argument. Judges make decisions based on statutes and the evidence presented to them.

Litigation is often slow, expensive, stressful, and conducted in a public courtroom. Fights over serious issues like custody and finances can cause substantial emotional damage to both spouses and children.

Mediation is a more informal process that promotes cooperation between the spouses. A mediator helps both parties better understand their options without taking sides or making decisions on behalf of the parties.

Working with a mediator can also be very effective at hashing out parenting schedules and decision-making plans. Judges base custody decisions on the best interests of the children.

Mediation gives parents the opportunity to develop a parenting plan that works with their children’s schedules, needs, and personalities.

Roseville residents file divorce petitions in the Placer County Superior Court located at 10820 Justice Center Drive, Roseville, CA 95678.

The Role of the Mediator

The mediator’s role is to advise the parties on existing divorce mediation laws on issues relating to their case and to act as a facilitator to assist the parties in problem-solving to reach a final settlement. Having to go to court can be very stressful and expensive. Many times, both parties walk out feeling like they lost.

A divorce mediator cannot give either spousal legal advise, however, by choosing divorce mediation, the parties work together to make agreements that they believe are fair and that they agree to, instead of the court hearing arguments from both parties and the judge making a ruling. Divorce mediation puts the parties in charge of their case instead of a judge. This is extremely beneficial when it comes to the custody and visitation of your children. Parents know their children better than any judge can.

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Hire a Divorce Mediation Attorney

Consider hiring a Roseville divorce mediation attorney to mediate with you and your spouse. Divorce mediation with an attorney can keep you on track and explain how California law applies to your specific circumstances.

When you hire a divorce mediation attorney, they can spot potential roadblocks in your agreement and work with you to overcome them instead of litigating them. Mediation can allow you and your spouse to divorce quickly and avoid litigation altogether. A lawyer can be very helpful in complex situations or when there are children or significant assets at stake.

Contact the Law Office of Sara S. Thompson, PC Today Attorney Thompson has completed 40 hours of mediation training and is passionate about the mediation process and assisting parties in reaching their agreements in their Family Law case.

Mediation offers many benefits and is an effective alternative to litigation. Call the Law Office of Sara S. Thompson, PC, Roseville Divorce Mediation Lawyer, to decide if divorce mediation is right for you and your spouse.