No matter the circumstances, divorce is never a pretty, piece-of-cake process. However, that does not mean that it needs to turn into the lengthy, chaotic, and confrontational battles that people typically picture. Because we understand that divorce is incredibly difficult, our number one goal at Schank & Associates is to guide you through the most affordable, peaceful, and simple process available. We want you to be able to start fresh and build a new life for yourself as soon as possible. As such, we will help you choose the option that will grant you the most satisfactory conclusion in the shortest amount of time. For many people, that option is mediation. Although sometimes overlooked, mediation is an excellent choice for divorce-seeking couples who are still on relatively good terms with each other and who wish to get past the legalities of the separation and move on to reconstructing their personal lives. Rather than having to argue against each other in court, couples can sit down together with one of our mediation attorneys and discuss the details of their divorce. This is often the preferred choice for individuals who may feel that they’ve lost control of their lives since filing for divorce and seek to regain that control. Mediation allows them to be more directly involved in the decision-making, gives them a stronger voice to make their desires heard, and often provides them with greater satisfaction with the decisions that they actively made.
Mediation begins by hiring a skilled and knowledgeable mediation attorney located in Victorville. The importance of hiring a local lawyer with local experience cannot be overstated, since the laws surrounding divorce and mediation can change from county to county, not just from state to state. That is why Schank & Associates recruits lawyers who have experience practicing within the cities where they are currently located. This enables us to give you specific and customized legal advice and guidance and to inform you of all the possible effects that your decisions could have on your future. You and your spouse should choose a mediation attorney whose style best suits you both, which is why we provide completely Free Case Evaluations. We want you to be able to speak freely with us before you make a commitment. Once you have chosen your attorney, you can move on to the actual process of mediation. If you have not yet filed for a divorce, this is where we would begin. Once the initial documents are served to the courts, we will begin helping you discuss every detail of your divorce – child custody and support, visitation rights, grandparents’ or extended relatives’ visitation rights, alimony, property, and pension division, and more.
As stated previously, mediation is ideal for couples who want to forego the stressful and expensive route of litigation, which requires you to both hire an attorney and battle out personal issues before a judge. The alternative of mediation can provide immense benefits to all those involved. Because you and your spouse would only have to hire one attorney to facilitate your mediation sessions, you can split the cost. You also forego the legal fees associated with litigation. Additionally, by coming to conclusions by yourselves rather than waiting for the judge to reach a final decision, you can greatly reduce the length of the divorce process. This not only saves you money but allows you to conclude this painful event much sooner. Mediation will also give you more control over the conclusions being reached because you and your spouse are able to discuss it between yourselves rather than to a judge. After all, you care deeply about your own personal life while a judge usually does not, which means that the decisions he or she makes can have undesirable effects. Also, by allowing an attorney to act as a neutral, third party you can often mitigate many of the conflicts that would have arisen had you and your spouse been pitted against each other in the courtroom. By foregoing those heated arguments that often arise during litigation, you often create a more peaceful environment for your children, which can help them process the separation. This could also serve as a model to your sons or daughters of a more diplomatic, collaborative reaction to a potentially aggressive situation.
However, in order for mediation to work, both spouses must be open to compromise. Often, the desire to reach a resolution in a timely manner is enough to open the door to conciliation for most couples. However, if there are issues that both you and your spouse are unable to decide upon, that is what we are here for. We will help you weigh out the pros and the cons and see both sides of the issue. We can propose innovative alternative options that may not have been evident previously. We will ensure that your rights are protected and that your voice is heard.
We can help you through all or any of the steps involved in mediation. We can aid in preparing your petition for divorce so that the process is initiated correctly. We can facilitate some or all of your negotiations, keeping records, ensuring that laws are followed and both parties are respected, and offering legal advice. Finally, we can review all the documents that will finalize the divorce, from parenting plans and custody arrangements to property division agreements to pension division contracts and more. Through every step, we will make sure that all necessary information is made available to you so that you are fully informed of all possible repercussions and of all the laws surrounding each decision you reach. Whether you would like us to work with you through the entire process or simply act as a guide through certain steps, we are prepared to tackle any issues that may arise.
Perhaps you wish to choose the option of mediation but are hesitant to enter into negotiations without personal legal representation on your side. If this is the case, you have the option of hiring us as your personal divorce attorney, and we can guide and advise you during the mediation process. Our attorneys at Schank & Associates cannot, however, both represent you individually and act as a shared mediator between you and your spouse. If you’re unsure of the route you want to take, feel free to give us a call at no cost to you!