Looking For An Alternative To Litigating Your Divorce? Try An Arizona Mediator
You've heard it all: the large lawyer and expert fees, the aggressive letters from the other party's lawyer, the non-stop requests for documentation of your personal life. This is the reality of a litigated divorce. Even after all this, there is a good possibility that either or both of the divorcing couple are not satisfied with how the judge ruled.
Looking for an alternative? Try an Arizona Mediator
For a description of the basic process of divorce mediation in Arizona, keep reading. The process is usually as follows when the divorcing parties do not have legal representation.
The agreement of both spouses to use mediation is the first step. You can take advantage of the free consultation which is often proffered by a mediator in order to reach the conclusion of whether mediation is right for you and your spouse. The consultation is most productive when both spouses meet with the mediator at the same time, although they can meet at separate times. In order to see that the mediator is neutral and not favoring either spouse, the parties should attend the consultation together. Additional information about mediation is available at Arizona Mediator.
If the parties have attorneys, the process is different
If both parties choose to have attorneys, it changes the mediation procedure. The lawyers have the resposibilities of scheduling the mediation time, and providing the mediator with a Mediation Memorandum, which sets forth what each party would like from the proceeding, as well as the issues relating to the divorce. A four to eight hour mediation session can usually finish the process, if both the divorcing couple and their lawyers can meet at a mutually agreeable time.
A form asking for basic information about the couple's assets, debts and other issues is filled out by the couple before the mediation begins. It is not unusual at the initial mediation session for the parties to not know everything about their financial picture or the terms they want in the divorce.
Although the mediation can be finished in one day, it usually occurs over the course of two or more two hour sessions. In between sessions, the divorcing couple will often need to gather information or documentation. Before coming to an ultimate agreement, the parties can also elect to consult with professionals such as property appraisers, child specialists, or other attorneys.
The couple will still have to file divorce paperwork with the Superior Court in Arizona to get a divorce, even when they use mediation to settle their disputes. Part of the mediator's job, while not allowed to give legal advice, is helping the participants obtain and file the appropriate forms and ensure that the filing fees are paid.
Disclaimer: This publication and the information included in it are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation with an attorney. Specific legal issues, concerns and conditions always require the advice of appropriate legal professionals.
