Years ago, it was widely assumed that going to court was always necessary to settle differences in matters of divorce and family law. These days, though, there is generally a better understanding of methods of alternative dispute resolution — or ADR.
These out-of-court processes tend to be more cost-efficient and less stressful than litigation, which is inherently adversarial. Here let’s discuss one kind of ADR that an increasing number of Minnesotans are using: family law mediation.
Whether you’re involved in a dispute over property division at divorce, child custody, child support or spousal support, mediation may be the best way of resolving the matter while mitigating the financial and emotional burden on you and your family.
When you choose mediation, a lawyer listens to you and the other party and works to develop legal solutions that both of you can agree on. You can avoid having to go to court and instead meet in a neutral, convenient place where you and your spouse or partner can be comfortable.
If you and the other party are not able to come to an agreement through mediation, then you may still take the dispute to court and ask a judge to decide.
Many divorced or separated parents have found that mediation helped to shield their children from what would have otherwise been a bitter and hurtful dispute.
In addition to mediation, couples in Minnesota also have the option of early neutral evaluation — or ENE. Like mediation, ENE also has cost-effective and stress-limiting benefits. You can read more about mediation and ENE on Groshek Law PA’s ADR overview.