Experienced Gwinnett County Divorce Mediation Services

Divorce and other family legal issues don’t have to be bitterly contentious and they don’t have to wind up in court.  Mediation is an out of court process that involves a neutral third party to help resolve conflicts. A smoother, more cost-efficient divorce is the usual result with mediation.

If you are interested in Family Law mediation in Gwinnett County, talk to Attorney Sharon Jackson. With her deep understanding of the law and sensitivity towards her clients, she has effectively handled the most difficult family issues. Call her Lawrenceville office today at (678) 909-4100.

What Is Mediation? Definition And Process

Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method where two parties try to resolve their legal conflict out of court, with the help of a neutral third party called the mediator. Family Law mediation may tackle various disputes such as:

• Contested divorce
• Divorce property division
• Spousal maintenance (alimony)
• Child custody
• Child support
• Child visitation
• Modification of orders
• And more.

How is mediation conducted? The mediator facilitates a discussion between the two parties, helping bring out constructive communication between them, usually over a few sessions. The mediator does not give judgments or orders; the resolution has to come from the participants themselves. When the participants find a resolution they both agree on, they can draft it as a document that the judge can then sign as an official decree.

Is mediation required in Georgia? Although mediation is not officially part of the Georgia divorce process, many Family Court judges now require disputing couples to mediate before litigation starts. If you have filed for divorce recently, you can expect to be contacted soon about scheduling mediation.

This is because the majority of mediated cases resolve positively without going to court anymore. It saves all parties concerned – including you and the court – from time-consuming and stressful courtroom proceedings. Mediation also has other significant benefits, which we discuss below.

Benefits Of Mediating Family Issues

Generally, mediation can bring these advantages over litigated Family Law cases:

• Time-saving and less costly. In Georgia, a litigated divorce can easily drag out for months, involving numerous delays, court fees, and other costs that keep piling up. Meanwhile, divorce mediation may take as little as a session or two (if participants are cooperative), incurring a much smaller mediator’s fee in the process.
• More peace, less stress. Divorce often becomes emotionally charged and adversarial in the courtroom –a battle to win, not to settle. But, during mediation, spouses are compelled to stay levelheaded, civil, and reasonable, allowing for a smoother resolution.
• Mutually agreeable results. The calmer approach of mediation helps decrease friction between the two parties, so they’re more open to fair ideas towards resolution. They also come out of the process with less feelings of hostility towards each other.
• Participants in control. When a divorce is litigated, all matters are up to the judge to decide on. By contrast, mediation allows both parties to make decisions together. These decisions can then become an official court decree, which means that both participants get to control the official outcome of their divorce.
• Less negative impact on loved ones. Divorcing couples with kids want to avoid creating a messy and traumatizing situation for them. Mediation helps keep the divorce process peaceful and amicable, reducing the negative impact that this episode might have on children.

All these benefits noted, there are still some cases where family mediation may not be appropriate. Examples are cases involving abuse (where victims must stay away from abusers), or disputes where there is a clear imbalance of power between the parties.

To learn whether mediation would be a good option for your specific case, consult with a Family Law attorney.

Contact Sharon Jackson For Family Law Mediation

Attorney Sharon Jackson is trusted by Georgia residents for her effective handling of delicate family legal disputes. She combines her extensive legal experience with a sympathetic understanding of the human side of divorce. This paves the way to fair and sound resolutions for her clients, for which many Georgians now thank her.

Talk to Attorney Jackson about mediation for your divorce. Call today at (678) 909-4100.