Benefits of divorce mediation
The top three benefits of divorce mediation are:
- costs less than hiring attorneys to fight,
- promptly resolves divorce issues,
- makes divorce as peaceful as possible.
For divorcing mothers and fathers, mediation offers another benefit. It may help divorcing parents keep, or start to build, a positive parenting relationship.
Divorce mediation costs less than hiring lawyers to fight
Hiring two lawyers (one for each spouse) to fight in court can be expensive. Courtroom attorneys often charge hourly fees. Both lawyers may spend hours preparing for, then attending, court hearings. When the court is running late (it happens) both attorneys may bill for the time they wait.
Ironically, about 9 in 10 court cases settle at, or just before, the hearing. By then both spouses already have paid many hourly fees. But they must pay even more fees for their courtroom attorneys to draft settlement documents and finalize the divorce.
In divorce mediation, spouses try to reach an out-of-court agreement right from the start. Couples who are successful in mediation (about 9 in 10) don't have to pay lawyers to prepare for court. And by sharing the cost of divorce mediation, spouses keep the cost of their divorce as low as possible.
During a free consultation about divorce mediation, I provide a written estimate so spouses know in advance what their mediation divorce will cost. If either spouse wants to, they can take that written estimate to a courtroom attorney for comparison.
Schedule a free consultation about divorce mediation
Working together, we can keep the cost of divorce as low as possible.
Learn more about Dann Johns, Divorce Mediator and Attorney
Note: Husbands and wives make all the decisions in divorce mediation. In about 1 in 10 cases they decide that they cannot reach an out-of-court agreement. When this happens spouses must go to court to have decisions made for them, resulting in more fees.
Do I need my own lawyer for a mediation divorce?
Divorce mediation resolves matters promptly
In a mediation divorce, spouses can discuss and decide divorce topics within days and sign legal documents (drafted by me) within weeks. Compare this to fighting in court where it may take months, to a year or more, to decide matters.
Timeline for a mediation divorce
Often, divorcing spouses want to shorten the process and finish as quickly as possible. Divorce mediation can move forward as soon as both spouses are willing to meet with a mediator. Typically, I can meet within days of a request for a free consultation about divorce mediation.
Note: Pennsylvania law sets mandatory waiting periods for getting a decree (court document that officially changes marital status). These waiting periods apply to mediation cases and courtroom cases.
Timeline to get a Pennsylvania divorce decree
Divorce mediation makes divorce as peaceful as possible
In divorce mediation, a mediator helps spouses calmly discuss and decide the terms of their divorce. While some topics may be difficult to discuss, a mediator uses kindness, problem solving, and impartiality to help husbands and wives divorce as peacefully as possible.
The experience is quite different if spouses hire lawyers to fight. Each attorney tries to win for their own client. Spouses are treated like adversaries. The resulting conflict can be stressful.
I am the kind of lawyer who is a helper, not a fighter. I have chosen to focus my career on helping spouses divorce peacefully. I like to think I am making this world a more peaceful place.
Divorce peacefully using divorce mediation
In my office, about 9 in 10 divorcing couples who try mediation reach an out-of-court agreement to divorce. In Pennsylvania, wives and husbands who agree in mediation can divorce without setting foot in court.
Three tips for a more peaceful divorce mediation
Divorce mediation benefits for parents
A mediation divorce can be especially helpful for divorcing parents. Mothers and fathers can decide child custody and child support without going to court. Mediation can help divorcing moms and dads:
- reduce conflict by deciding child custody and child support matters quickly,
- improve parental communication by calmly discussing and deciding divorce matters, and
- save money instead of paying lawyers to fight in court.
After divorce mediation, many parents are glad they tried the path of peace for their divorce.
Cost of divorce mediation in Pennsylvania
Divorce mediation for you and your spouse
Consider sharing this website with your spouse. If both of you are interested in a mediation divorce, the next step is to schedule a free consultation about divorce mediation.
To learn more about divorce mediation, visit the site map (helpful summary of each page of this website) or search by topic using the navigation menu.
I wish you and your spouse much peace and well-being!
Dann JohnsDivorce Mediator & Attorney