If you are looking to settle your divorce in an amicable fashion, it may be in your best interest to work with a mediator. A mediator is an impartial individual who seeks to facilitate a productive dialogue between yourself and your spouse. Let’s take a look at some of the other reasons why mediation may be preferable to spending time in an Illinois divorce court.
Mediation tends to be less expensive than litigation
In some cases, there is no need to hire an attorney until after an agreement has been reached. At that point, a family law attorney can review the terms of a tentative deal to ensure that they are in your best interest and that they conform to state law. It’s important to note that a judge will need to review any child custody or support agreement before it can take effect. An attorney might charge up to $10,000 to handle a traditional divorce proceeding while a mediator may be able to help you reach an agreement for $1,000.
You’ll likely spend less time crafting a settlement
One of the primary benefits of mediation is that it is a collaborative process as opposed to an adversarial one. Therefore, each side is motivated to find ways to get what they need as opposed to finding ways to punish one another. Furthermore, it means that both sides have an opportunity to express themselves in an open and honest manner, which makes it easier to ask for what they need.
This can make it easier to structure an agreement that each person can feel good about. Generally speaking, a divorce can be settled through mediation in a matter of weeks whereas it might take months to end a marriage through litigation.