Experienced Naperville Attorneys Handling Family Law Mediation
The issues that must be settled in a divorce are complex and far-reaching. Matters such as child custody, property division and spousal maintenance may be the subject of serious disputes, and many couples have difficulty communicating calmly at a time when doing so becomes critical. For many, mediation is a big part of the solution.
Attorney Monika Blacha is a mediator for divorce and other family disputes, as well as an experienced family law mediation attorney serving Naperville and DuPage County. You are welcome to contact us anytime to discuss our services in either capacity and gain a better understanding of what to expect from the mediation process.
What are the benefits of divorce mediation?
While only a very small percentage of divorces go all the way through trial, inability to reach a settlement agreement by other means can lead that far. The costs and stress borne by people in intensely contested cases can be overwhelming. Most Illinois courts make pretrial mediation mandatory in disputed custody cases and, increasingly, couples enter mediation voluntarily to achieve goals such as:
- Save time, money and hassle: avoiding the very significant legal costs, added stress and time commitments that come with litigation or drawn-out settlement negotiations outside of mediation.
- Greater control: maintaining a high degree of control over the outcomes achieved through mutual agreement, rather than putting critical family decisions in the hands of the courts
- Long-term benefits: setting the stage for ongoing civil communication that will likely be necessary going forward in finalizing the divorce, co-parenting and other areas
What Is The Divorce Mediation Process In Illinois?
Mediation is made up of a series of sessions with the spouses and a neutral third-party mediator, who is often a family law attorney or retired judge. In many cases, each spouse’s divorce attorney also attends. During these sessions, the mediator facilitates discussion of vital issues such as property division and child custody and explains the relevant law.
Each session generally lasts one to two hours and focuses on a particular topic, such as division of property, spousal maintenance or child custody and visitation. Depending on what you and your spouse agree to, you might have your divorce lawyer with you. Either way, you and your lawyer will prepare in advance by gathering the necessary documents and predicting the issues and questions that could arise.
If the spouses settle all divorce matters, the mediator will draft a Memorandum of Understanding for them to sign. This memorandum then gets submitted to the judge for them to approve, finalizing your divorce.
What Types Of Family Law Issues Can Be Resolved Through Mediation?
Issues that DuPage County residents can resolve in divorce mediation include:
- How marital assets will be divided
- Whether one spouse will receive spousal maintenance (alimony) and if so, how much and for how long
- The children’s living arrangements and whether the parents will share joint custody, or one parent will have sole custody with visitation rights reserved for the other.
- The level of child support to be paid
- How the parties will communicate requests and navigate potential future conflicts
Contact A Naperville Attorney For Divorce Mediation Or Advocacy
If you are seeking a highly trained, objective mediator prepared to facilitate in your case, we will be glad to discuss our qualifications and approach. If you want a lawyer experienced in guiding men and women through the family mediation process, backed by the proven ability to achieve results in litigation when needed, request a free consultation today.
Call 630-283-1987. We have offices in Naperville, and we serve clients in DuPage County. We are also fluent in Polish.
