I am often asked how prevalent is mediation and ADR (alternative dispute resolution) in divorces. A recent ABA article surprised me with this statistic: 93% of divorcing couples utilized a method of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) The details on most divorces are...
I’ve spoken before about religious issues in divorces. They can be contentious. What about religious issues regarding children in divorces (or when a child is born to unwed parents)? Parents from different religions or even different religious traditions...
When couples ponder divorcing, it is not done lightly. Usually, they try marital counseling to save the marriage prior to seeking a divorce. A judge in Kentucky has completely turned this on its head and has misread the situation. The ABA Journal reports that Bullitt...
Children like stability and routine. The younger the child, the more they need stability and routine. Divorce (or never having been together in the first place) doesn’t help with a child’s stability. That does not mean you can’t make things easier...
If you’re a viewer of Big Bang Theory or perhaps you used to watch Blossom, you know who actress Mayim Bialik is. In this very candid vlog video, she discusses one aspect of her private divorce — how she and her ex-husband co-parent their two children. ...
[Updated on 12/4/2017 for the NJ Supreme Court’s Decision] Relocation of a child with a custodial parent is one of the most challenging elements of a divorce (or post-judgment action in a divorce). If the noncustodial parent objects to the relocation (or...
One of the more challenging issues in a divorce is developing a parenting plan that involves non-custodial parent access on school nights. For some children, it can be disruptive to schoolwork and performance. For other children, it is inconsequential. In the...
In September 2016, an NJ trial court opined (in an unpublished opinion) on proper parental conduct at the sporting events of their children. In the case of D.W. v. M.W. (FV-15-1025-16, Ocean County — a domestic violence case), the estranged wife asked for an...
Yesterday, the NJ Appellate Division published the case of Donna Slawinski v. Mary E. Nicholas. Slawinski is the parental grandmother of “Lilly” (a pseudonym) and Nicholas is Lilly’s mother who apparently has sole custody. When Lilly’s...
A mediated divorce often costs less than 1/3rd of a litigated divorce
Mediation can finalize a divorce in much less time than litigation -- months versus years
You lose none of your rights by mediating
Mediation is confidential
Make decisions about your future for yourself
Parties are more satisfied with terms they agree to in mediation than terms imposed by a court
Agreements obtained through mediation are far less likely to end up back in court
Mediation is a forward-looking process (where do you go from here)
Mediation can be used to resolve many types of disputes, including the dissolutions of gay and lesbian (same-sex) relationships, civil unions, domestic partnerships and commercial and community disputes
Mediation allows you to get on with your life more quickly
