How Can Mediation Help With My Georgia Divorce?

In Georgia the family law courts look favorably on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to help settle the differences between divorcing spouses. One facet of ADR is called divorce mediation, and it is where a professional third-party mediator meets with the opposing parties to come up with final stipulations that are fair to both sides and are beneficial to any children involved.

The people who participate in these time-saving negotiations are both spouses, each divorce attorney near me (if both spouses have retained counsel), and a professional mediator typically with a number of cases to their credit.

It has been proven that bringing in a mediation expert from the beginning leads to better long-term relationships between spouses - and healthier situations for children. A professional mediator eases the hard feelings that typically get triggered in a divorce, especially between couples who were married for decades and who have built up substantial financial assets. The mediator is usually someone that both attorneys know and respect. 

How Does Divorce Mediation Work in GA?

In the beginning of this process the mediator will meet with each spouse and their lawyer privately either in-person or virtually using Zoom Meetings. The mediator’s job is to capture the wants and desires of each party and then work towards a solution that everyone can agree on. The job requires delicate negotiation skills, the ability to remember the tiniest details and record them in the document, and to practice patience until an agreement is reached.

This productive going back and forth without the spouses seeing or hearing each other keeps the hurt feelings and irritation level down so that the business of divorce can be carried out. It makes sense emotionally, and it makes sense financially because divorce attorney fees are kept at a manageable level. 

Very rarely does a divorce end up in court in front of a family law judge during a trial. I have seen it happen over my 30-year legal career, but the couples usually were not interested in negotiating or bending even one inch on any area, and both individuals had a high net worth with considerable and far-flung assets.

What Does It Take to Be a Good Mediator?

A Georgia divorce mediator is professionally licensed and must have earned a college degree, have attended Mediation Training, and have real-world experience mediating or at least observing actual mediation between two divorcing people. The courts can appoint a mediator after the divorce is filed, or couples can hire their own private mediator before appearing in front of a judge. And of course this person must possess an empathetic manner coupled with financial acumen.

Please call me and I will explain alternative divorce resolution ADR options including divorce mediation. I have found that my clients are happier when a non-vested third party gets involved, and also each spouse finds it easier to follow every legal stipulation in the final divorce decree.