Divorce Mediation on Long Island is often a more successful, less stressful and less expensive way to divorce in Nassau and Suffolk County, especially if you have children.
Your Divorce Mediator is a Neutral 3rd Party
Divorce mediation allows you and your spouse to sit down with a neutral third party, express your wants and needs, and eventually permits the two of you to come to a mutual agreement regarding your future, and the future of your child or children. While you are not required to obtain a divorce attorney before commencing divorce mediation, doing so has many benefits that can assist you and your spouse in eventually reaching an agreement. If your mediator is also a divorce attorney, he or she can help you formulate and review your final agreement and prepare the final divorce papers for you.
Honesty is Key to Successful Divorce Mediation
While divorce mediation may sound appealing to you, you must be sure that you and your spouse are able and willing to be honest and truthful with each other and you’re your mediator during the mediation. If you and your spouse are going through a turbulent divorce and are unable to get along due to negative feelings such as anger, resentment, and heartbreak, divorce mediation may not be the proper choice for you. In that case, you should look into retaining a divorce attorney and obtaining your divorce through litigation in the Nassau County or Suffolk County court system.
On the other hand, if you and your spouse both want the divorce and can amicably resolve the material differences you need to move on with your lives, considering divorce mediation should be at the top of your priority list before turning to the courts, especially if you have children together.
Divorce Mediation Saves Children Emotional Distress
If you take the traditional, litigated, route for divorce, children all too often become victims of the divorce process. They often are subject to witnessing the constant battle their parents have with each other over such issues as child support, custody, visitation and who gets to spend weekends or holidays with the children. This eventually ends with one parent having custody over the children and the other getting only visitation rights. At times, children also may feel as though they have to pick sides in the battle, making decisions like picking with which parent they want to spend their birthday or holidays. Such seemingly simple decisions can put a great emotional strain on a child. While you may not realize it, this can have detrimental effects on your children, and you should try your best to avoid putting your child in such situations. Unfortunately, divorce litigation tends to amplify these issues and pull the child into them, rather than minimize them and keep the child out of them.
Divorce Mediation Allows You to Make Decisions for Your Family, Not the Courts
In divorce mediation, there is no such thing as Child Custody or Visitation Rights, rather, you and your spouse have the opportunity to sit down and amicably discuss what is best for your children, custom tailoring your parenting plan to the specific needs of your family. You get to decide what’s best for your child or children rather than putting it in the hands of the Suffolk County or Nassau County Courts. On occasion, couples in divorce mediation agree not to have a formal agreement. In such cases, rather, you and your spouse may agree to take each week as it comes depending on your schedules and the schedules of the children. In these instances, the child may spend four days with you and three days with your spouse one week, and spend the entire next week with your spouse if you wind up having to work late or go out of town for whatever reason. This also allows a child to not feel as though he or she has to pick which parent he or she wants to spend time with because you and your spouse are splitting time evenly according to your schedules. This is contrary to a traditional court ordered visitation agreement, where you or your spouse may have the children one week but yet also have other commitments during that same time period and therefore miss out on precious time together.
Whether or not you have children together, you and your spouse may find that divorce mediation is a more attractive alternative for you and your spouse. Divorce mediation puts you in control and allows you to make the right decisions for you and your family, while saving time, money and stress on you, your spouse, and your children. You and your spouse can avoid the inevitable hard feelings that come from arguing during the litigation process and agree to allow the two of you to have time with the children when you are able to spend quality time together, and not just time the court directs you to spend.
Have More Questions About Divorce Mediation on Long Island?
To learn more about Divorce Mediation on Long Island and how it can save you time, money and stress, visit this page: How Divorce Mediation Works and its Benefits for Families in Nassau, Suffolk, Long Island. The Long Island divorce mediators at Robert E. Hornberger, Esq., PC are caring, successful divorce attorneys, experienced in all methods of divorce in Nassau and Suffolk. From Divorce Mediation to Collaborative Divorce to Divorce Litigation, we will represent you to best meet the unique circumstances of your divorce. Call us at 631-923-1910 for a Free Consultation to discuss the specifics of your case and we will help guide you to the appropriate resolution method for you and your family.
