Sacramento Lawyer Helps Clients Resolve Divorce Through Mediation

Working with spouses to settle differences without litigation

At Williams Family Law, we focus not just on the final result of your divorce, but on making the entire process as smooth as possible. Alternative methods of dissolving a marriage, such as mediation and collaborative divorce, can be very helpful in achieving those goals. Unlike formal court proceedings, mediation involves an informal meeting between the divorcing spouses and a trained professional mediator. In collaborative divorce, both spouses work together to resolve all issues outside court. If you are considering filing for a divorce or if your spouse has initiated dissolution proceedings, we can guide you through your options and help reduce stress and confusion.

California attorney enabling couples to take advantage of mediation’s benefits

During the mediation process, each spouse is able to have his or her voice heard, and the trained mediator helps the couple come to a mutually satisfactory agreement on the terms of the divorce, including such matters as property division, custody, and support matters. This can cut down dramatically on:

• Time — Busy California courts force litigants to work within the court’s schedule, not the divorcing couple’s. In mediation, the parties can set a time frame that allows everyone involved to move forward with their lives much more quickly.
• Expense — Mediation tends to reduce the cost of many divorces.  Any issues of divorce that can be resolved quickly and informally in mediation will not have to be litigated in family court, saving on legal fees and trial costs.
• Aggravation — Even when both parties are behaving reasonably, litigation requires the strict observance of court rules for simple matters such as the exchange of information. Sometimes, arguments over procedure overwhelm the substantive issues of the case. Mediation allows all issues not requiring court involvement to be handled through the mediation process.

Williams Family Law is committed to encouraging positive communication between divorcing spouses whenever possible to save clients time, money, and stress.

Assisting husbands and wives with collaborative divorce

In a collaborative divorce, spouses work with one another, their lawyers and a team of experts to resolve property division, custody, support and other issues. The parties sign a contract to resolve issues outside of court in a fair, reasonable manner. Unlike mediation, where partial resolutions can be achieved, a collaborative divorce has spouses settle each aspect of their dissolution before presenting it to the court.

Providing strong advocacy in a less formal setting

Divorcing spouses sometimes think that mediation can only work when the breakup is amicable and no issues are contested, but that’s not the case. Mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution is a different way of resolving conflicts; it’s still important to have a dedicated legal advocate to protect your rights, and we strive for fairness with the same intensity that we would in court.  Even if you require court involvement due to safety concerns, property and custody issues can still be resolved in mediation.

Contact a knowledgeable Sacramento divorce attorney for advice on mediation

Williams Family Law represents clients in divorce, child custody and other family law matters throughout the Sacramento area. Call 916-407-0544 or contact us online to schedule a meeting.