Litigation of family law matters should always be a last resort. Couples that will need to maintain a working relationship in order to effectively co-parent after a divorce or child custody case must consider the financial cost as well as the potentially deleterious impact to a family of a protracted litigation. Alternatives to divorce litigation include mediation and conciliation – both of which could reduce the time it takes and the financial and emotional costs to settle the divorce. Is one right for you? Read on to learn more about these alternative dispute resolution processes in Massachusetts.
Divorce Mediation
Divorce mediation is a private, voluntary method of resolving any and all family law disputes and is well-suited to couples needing to divorce or modify an existing divorce judgment; to unmarried parents needing to create a fair and workable parenting plan; or to any individual seeking to resolve a family law dispute that has reached an impasse. Couples can use mediation for the purpose of avoiding divorce as well.
A divorce mediator’s role is to facilitate productive conversation between the parties, with the goal of helping the parties to achieve a full and final resolution. Our divorce mediation process can accommodate a traditional group conference setting, or “caucus” style, in which communication between each party and the mediator occurs in separate spaces, in the most contentions circumstances. Using mediation puts parties squarely in charge of the outcome of their own family law case. The process is entirely voluntary, and nothing happens unless both agree.
Conciliation
Conciliation is a similar model to mediation but will often take place while a divorce case is ongoing. Private conciliation is voluntary, and may include lawyers for each party. A conciliator will use her experience to recommend specific solutions to the problems presented toward a resolution of the case.
Contact the Experienced Divorce Mediators and Conciliators at Nasios & Associates
At Nasios & Associates, our practice model includes representation of clients in contested family court matters. However, we prefer mediation or conciliation of family disputes whenever possible to ensure parties maintain the maximum amount of control over their case. If you have minor children, we recommend you consider alternatives to divorce litigation to reduce the hostility that often accompanies a “win-lose” divorce model. Your marriage may be over, but you will be parents forever – and a bitter court battle does not foster a healthy co-parenting relationship. Contact the trusted family lawyer at Nasios & Associates to learn more about our alternatives to divorce litigation.