Benefits of divorce mediation
The top three benefits of divorce mediation are:
- costs less than the average Pennsylvania divorce,
- 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.
A mediation divorce costs less than the average Pennsylvania divorce
The total cost of divorce mediation for most couples I assist is between $4,300 and $6,300. In fact, about 45% of cases in my office are resolved for less than $4,900. A written estimate is provided during a free consultation about divorce mediation.
Compare this to the per spouse cost of the average Pennsylvania divorce—about $14,300 (Byrnes, Hristina, "The cost of divorce", USA Today, January 21, 2020 citing Nolo nationwide divorce survey).
Schedule a free consultation about divorce mediation
Payment terms for a mediation divorce
Tips for keeping cost of divorce
as low as possible
- Communicate with your spouse. A mediation divorce costs less than other ways to divorce, but husbands and wives must be willing to communicate with each other during mediation sessions.
How to talk more peacefully in divorce mediation - Let go of anger. Divorcing spouses may find themselves holding on to anger. Unless they let go, it can drag them into a costly courtroom battle. When spouses see how expensive a courtroom fight can be (see average cost above) it gets easier to let go of anger.
How to let go of anger in divorce mediation
How to restore inner peace in a mediation divorce
Working together, we can keep the cost of divorce as low as possible.
Divorce mediation resolves matters promptly
In a mediation divorce, spouses can discuss and decide divorce topics within days and sign legal documents 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 ready 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 requesting a decree (the court document that changes marital status). These waiting periods apply to mediation cases and courtroom cases alike.
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, impartiality, and problem solving to help husbands and wives divorce as peacefully as possible.
Learn about Dann Johns, Divorce Mediator & Attorney
The experience is quite different if spouses hire lawyers to fight in court. The courtroom is for adversaries. Each attorney battles to win for their client—and to defeat their client's spouse—at almost any cost.
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,
- save money instead of paying lawyers to fight in court.
After divorce mediation, many spouses are glad they tried the path of peace for their divorce.