About Our Divorce Mediation Services
At Mack & Santana Law Offices, P.C., we provide mediation services as Qualified Mediators under Rule 114, Minnesota Rules of General Practice. In our mediation capacity, we work with parties to assist them with reaching agreements themselves. Parties who retain our mediation services can expect to learn and understand the mediation process, to be respected in the process, and to be encouraged to reach agreements that will be workable for both parties and will be durable for years to come.
The Advantages of Mediation
Mediation is often thought to be faster than traditional litigation because parties do not have to wait for hearings to be scheduled on the court’s calendar. It is generally more cost-effective as well because the parties involved do not have to bear many of the costs of going to trial. Full knowledge of the facts is key, and experts may be involved in the mediation process.
While people who take matters to trial are at the mercy of a judge’s discretion, people who choose mediation in divorce find greater control over their own outcomes. They can compromise on certain issues and are not required to make agreements that are not acceptable to them. With settlement negotiations (occurring inside or outside of the mediation setting), there are a greater range of solutions available to the parties that may not be available once the case is in front of a judge. For example, if a party wants to buy out the other spouse’s spousal maintenance claim with waiver conditions, such a buyout can be negotiated but not imposed by the court.
Often, people resolve only some divorce issues in mediation. The issues that they are not able to resolve are taken to court. For example, spouses may determine child custody and create a parenting plan in mediation, but they may reserve matters of child support and property distribution for the courtroom.
Contact a Minnesota Family Law Mediation Lawyer
Our attorneys are experienced in mediation and know how to guide parties through the process quickly and effectively. We encourage you to contact us with your questions. Contact Mack & Santana Law Offices, P.C., by calling our Minneapolis law office at 612-426-7141 or our Prior Lake law office at 952-314-2617 to speak with our Minneapolis divorce mediation lawyers.
