Family Mediation

Mediation is an alternative way to address divorce and family issues outside of the court system. It is a private, confidential and non-adversarial service designed to resolve sensitive family issues.

Mediation may be used to help people settle many different types of cases, including, for example, divorces and other family disputes, disputes among colleagues in the workplace, and contract disputes.

Mediation is a process in which an impartial third party (the mediator) facilitates communication and negotiation and promotes voluntary decision making by the parties to the dispute. In mediation, a mediator helps parties understand each other’s perspectives and discuss options for settlement. Mediators do not decide who is right and who is wrong. Whether parties choose mediation or a court orders them to try mediation, the decision whether to settle is always up to the parties. The mediator has no authority to impose a settlement on the parties.

In family mediations, parties have a chance to share their views in a safe environment and to constructively discuss important issues such as communication, separation, child custody, support and visitation, alimony, debt, division of property and other family matters.

Family mediation is based on the same principles that apply in mediation generally;

• Voluntariness
• Transparency
• Mutual Respect

Family mediation is non-confrontational in nature and progressive. It encourages parties to focus on the future and problem-solving strategies rather than the problems of the past.