Best Way to Succeed in Divorce Court? Use Mediation.

As a New Jersey divorce mediator, I am always on the lookout for interesting articles to pass along to readers of the Equitable Mediation Services blog and one thing I’ve noticed is that many articles have some sort of numbered list such as “four things to know when seeking divorce mediation in New Jersey.”  I guess the marketing guru’s tell you if you want to get noticed, use a numbered list.  Who knows.  But what I do know is today’s idea for a post came from such an article that really caught my attention.  It was entitled “Seven Ways to Succeed in Divorce Court” and I thought to myself “who the heck succeeds in divorce court?”  If you’ve gotten to court, you’ve failed and no matter what the outcome, it will not be pretty.  So I decided to give it a read and I was glad I did because it actually turned out to be a decent article.  Even if the title could use a bit of work.

The author’s point was to use divorce mediation in NJ as a means to avoid divorce court because not going to court was the best way to succeed in court.  Got that?  Me neither but I think what he was trying to say is the best way to settle your divorce is to use a divorce mediation service.  Sure there are many benefits of mediation but one of the most compelling is the feeling of control you each have in determining your own future.  The court system is not as rules-driven as you think because depending on the day, the judge and the lawyers involved, the outcome of two very similar cases could be markedly different depending on a variety of factors.  Do you really want to leave your future to chance and put it in the hands of total strangers that don’t know you, your children or what each of you wants?  Probably not.  But if you had a chance to design your future and what your settlement looked like, wouldn’t you at least want to try it?  That’s where divorce mediation comes in.  With the help of an Accredited Professional Mediator,  you will work together to design your own agreement (also known as the Memorandum of Understanding) and come to a settlement that works for both of you and your children instead of having to live with a court-imposed agreement designed by total strangers that will impact you for the rest of your life.  And given that 95% of couples who use divorce mediation don’t end up in court, you have a pretty decent shot at succeeding, don’t you think?

So if you have any questions about divorce mediation or how mediation can benefit you, please feel free to contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation in one of our seven North or Central New Jersey office locations where we will take some time to get to know more about you and your situation and see if mediation is right for you.  Of if you’re simply not ready yet, feel free to visit the Equitable Mediation Services website where you’ll find lots of great information about parenting plans, equitable distribution, NJ child support and spousal support / alimony and contact us when you’re ready.  We look forward to helping you get through your divorce peacefully, efficiently and with as little stress on you and your family as possible while helping you design a future that works for you.