MEDIATION

Mediation can be a lower cost alternative to litigation.

First, a few basic concepts. A mediator does not resolve your dispute. A mediator does not make decisions. A mediator does help the parties resolve their differences. The goal of a mediaton is a settlement agreement that will be signed by the judge assisgned to your case.

At a mediation, both parties (and their lawyers) meet together with the mediator and describe how they would like the case resolved. The parties then separate and the mediator shuttles between the parties with various settlement offers. The vast majority of family law disputes are resolved at mediation. If your case does not resolve at mediation, nothing said at the mediation can be disclosed to the judge.

In almost every case, the Florida Statutes require that both parties attend a medition prior to trial. However, the mediation can be held at any time prior to the trial - even before the case has been filed. A pre-suit mediation has the potential benefit of saving both the time and money involved in litigation. During your Family Law case, the judge will require you to attend a mediation, but before the case has been filed, both parties must agree to attend the mediation.

If you would like more information about mediation, please feel free to call Mr. Mullaney or submit your question here.