Going through a Dissolution of Marriage in Florida can be a very stressful and emotionally charged process, especially when there are young children involved and a number of assets that need to be divided. In addition to the stress that you may have due to the uncertainty of where you may be living after finalizing your divorce, there may also be anxieties involved because you are dealing with attorneys and courtrooms. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be a totally intimidating situation because Florida Courts have utilized alternative dispute resolutions (ADR) for well more over 35 years with mediation being a major component of ADR.
In Florida Family Law cases, mediation plays a major role in reducing adversarial Court hearings as well as potentially reducing the length of time that is required to bring a divorce case to having Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage issued. Mediation is very cost-efficient and less expensive than a trial.
Mediation is a mechanism for a husband and wife who are in need of a divorce to sit down and discuss the issues and concerns pertinent to their marriage; and then to make decisions to resolve the issues that need to come to resolution in their divorce. A mediator is not allowed to decide who is right or wrong or to tell you how to resolve your dispute.
So what does a mediator do? A mediator assists you in discussing issues with the other to your divorce or paternity case. While the mediator in your case does not make decisions for you, he or she will help to guide you to come up with possible ways to resolves the issues that exist in your case. In addition, the mediator helps to keep the parties focused on the task at hand. Since there are two sides to a dispute, a mediator will help both parties to see the conflict from the other person’s point of view.
Although individuals from a variety of professions can become mediators and include retired judges, attorneys, and mental health professionals just to name a few, it is important to use a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator. The Florida Supreme Court has set educational and ethical standards for mediators. The mediators at Mediation of Coral Springs, Inc. are Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediators.
A mediator is not a therapist or a counselor, but a good mediator recognizes that the parties have some specific emotions that may be issues that are involved in your Florida Family Law case. In addition, a mediator is not allowed to decide who is right or wrong or provide you with legal advice or even tell you how to resolve that are involved in your case.
At Mediation of Coral Springs, Inc. we are neutral mediators whose desire is to help you focus on resolving your dispute without judicial intervention. If you have any questions about mediation or are interested in any further information about the ins and outs of the mediation process, please feel free to contact Mediation of Coral Springs, Inc.