How Divorce Mediation Works

After your consultation, you’ll understand the process and have peace of mind knowing you won’t go to court.

Wondering about parenting time, your house, finances, or the divorce timeline? Your mediator will answer your questions and explain how you can create agreements that work for everyone.

You deserve to feel supported every step of the way. Your free consultation gives you clarity and confidence moving forward.

Your mediator will explain the state law on each topic so you understand what would likely happen in court – a helpful starting point for many.

However, you don’t have to follow the law — you’re in control. Instead of a Judge dictating the terms of your divorce, you and your spouse decide what’s best. Your mediator helps by:

• Explaining state law so you understand this legal information.
• Sharing examples of successful agreements and adapting them just for you.
• Helping you find creative solutions that go beyond typical court outcomes.

Example — Property Division A State’s law generally says that any assets acquired during a marriage are divided equally. Divorce Litigation: A Judge would likely order the home to be sold and profits divided 50/50. The retirement account would also be divided 50/50. Divorce Mediation: You have the flexibility to get what you want. One person can keep the house, while the other keeps the retirement account, and you can find another way to ensure the overall outcome is fair. Your mediator will guide you through these issues and help you find solutions that meet both of your needs.

Every family is different; your divorce agreement should reflect what works best for you. Your mediator will help you explore options and create a personalized plan that fits your unique needs. Your mediator helps by —

• Suggesting options that have worked for others in similar situations.
• Customizing agreements so they fit your specific circumstances.
• Thinking outside the box to create new solutions that work best for you.

Whether you are looking for agreements that follow the law, or creative ideas tailored to you and your family, your mediator will help you reach your best possible agreements. This is where their expertise makes a difference.

Example — Parenting Time, aka Physical Child Custody State law may call generally for parenting time that allows for ”substantial, frequent, meaningful, and continuing contact with both parents.” Equal parenting time is the court’s default but isn’t guaranteed. Divorce Litigation: A Judge would order a strict parenting time schedule, without your consent, that dictates when you will see your kids. Divorce Mediation: Understanding your work schedules and your kid's school and activity schedules, your mediator will provide several parenting schedule options that may work perfectly. You can even customize what a “weekend” means to you:

• Friday after school to Monday morning
• Friday after school to Sunday evening
• Saturday morning to Sunday evening or Monday morning.

The goal is to create a parenting plan that supports your children and sets you up for healthy co-parenting.

Divorce can be an emotional process, and disagreements are normal. Your mediator is trained to help you navigate challenging conversations and find solutions that work for both of you. Your mediator helps by —

• Keeping the conversation on track — always guiding you back to what matters most.
• Creating a safe space for you to share what is important to you.
• Guiding communication to reduce conflict and keep parents out of court.

For Example — Spousal Support Discussions about spousal support can naturally be emotionally charged. Your mediator will help you navigate these sensitive conversations with compassion. They will focus on finding a solution that ensures financial stability for both of you. No matter the challenge, your mediator supports you in reaching agreements that work.

Who better to decide your future than you? Mediation empowers you and your spouse to create a divorce agreement that truly reflects your needs and priorities. Here's why that matters:

• You're in the driver's seat. Every decision is made by you and your spouse, not a judge.
• Collaboration, not conflict. Whether you already agree on things or are facing major disagreements, mediation provides a path to agreement on everything.
• Higher success rate. Research shows that spouses who create their own agreements are more likely to stick to them, giving you confidence for the future.

If you'd like legal advice, your mediator can connect you with a list of mediation-friendly attorneys who can review your documents and answer your questions. If you don’t want legal advice, that's okay too! It’s your choice.

When you're ready, we will walk you through the signing process, making it as simple and stress-free as possible.

Your divorce is officially final when the Judge signs your legal documents. From beginning to end, your Aurit Center Certified Mediator will support you through every step of the process.