One of the reasons divorce can be so stressful is because of all of the decision-making involved. At the very beginning, the couple has to address the huge decision of whether to get divorced in the first place. Next, the couple has to decide which divorce process they want to use.
As we discussed in an article on our website, people in Ohio have several divorce processes to choose from, ranging from the traditional litigation process where the parties go to court over issues they can’t agree on to the uncontested process where the parties are able to agree to all of the terms of their split.
Many Ohio residents choose a process in the middle of those two extremes: mediation. Mediation involves negotiating over the divorce issues with the assistance of a third party neutral mediator. The mediator does not make any decisions, he or she just facilitates the negotiation process.
The mediator discusses issues such as property division, child custody and child support with the parties, and helps them to stay focused on the issues instead of getting off track. The mediation process can foster mutual respect between the parties, which is especially important when the parties have children together.
Oftentimes, the divorcing couple is able to settle all of the issues of their divorce through mediation, which means that they do not have to go to court. This not only saves money, it also means the parties don’t have to go through the emotional turmoil of a courtroom trial.
Mediation is just one of the divorce processes available to people in Ohio. To find out more about mediation or the other processes available, talk to an experienced divorce attorney in your area.