There are several ways to dissolve a marriage in Indiana. Going to battle in court is only one of them. Today, alternative dispute resolution measures such as mediation or collaborative divorce are two ways to dissolve a marriage that do not involve the expense and headaches of litigating in court. The Avon divorce attorneys at Chris Arrington, Attorney at Law, P.C., discuss the role of mediation in dissolving your marriage below.

How is mediation different than litigating your divorce?

Mediation is a cheaper, faster, and better option in most cases than litigating a divorce. Instead of going before a judge, you hammer out all the terms of your divorce in front of a mediator and then present the final draft to the judge. Mediation uses a neutral third party to help guide the negotiation process. There is no judge who renders a decision related to your issues. The mediator helps the divorcing parties put together a divorce settlement agreement. 

There are distinct advantages to using a mediator to help dissolve your marriage. These include:

• It takes less time – Litigated divorces can take a year or more to settle all issues related to the divorce. Mediation is generally quicker as the neutral third-party mediator guides the couple toward a finalized divorce agreement. The divorcing couple is not subject to the court’s calendar. They can work at their own pace to reach an agreement. 

• It costs less money – Litigated divorces are money pits partly because they take more time to settle. In the case of litigation, each party will have their own separate attorney, which will cost more money in the end. Further, these attorneys will battle in court, and a judge will render a final decision. This doubles the amount of money you would spend on representation. In a mediated divorce, you only have to hire a mediator. This doesn’t even include costs related to expert witnesses, forensic accountants, and child custody specialists. 

• You have more control over the final decisions – In a mediated divorce, you and your spouse come to an agreement based on the negotiations reached in mediation. In a litigated divorce, a judge has the final say over issues such as property division, alimony, and child custody and support. In other words, you get to decide what happens instead of a judge. 

Mediation works especially well for parents who want to co-parent after a divorce. Since the process encourages cooperative conflict resolution, there is often less animosity that arises from a mediated divorce rather than a litigated one. Mediation encourages clear and respectful communication, which is integral to a successful co-parenting arrangement. 

Talk to an Avon Divorce Mediation Attorney Today

If you are considering mediation in your divorce, contact the Avon divorce mediation attorneys at Chris Arrington, Attorney at Law, P.C. today to schedule an appointment and learn more about how we can help.