Common Mediation Issues for Families
Throughout the years, mediation has been developed and refined as a cost-effective, timely alternative to litigation. This type of alternative dispute resolution is becoming increasingly popular among families and individuals as a way to resolve arguments and go through legal proceedings without taking the matter to court.
What are the most common family issues that mediation can help with? Does mediation help to make family relations better?
The answer to both questions is “yes”. Mediation can give you peace of mind to know that in most instances it helps to resolve disputes without further tearing a family apart, especially when the mediator has backgrounds in both law and psychology. It can even give you valuable negotiation and discussion tools to use later in your life. An experienced mediator will sit with you and your family members during mediation sessions to help you come up with resolutions that suit everyone’s best interests. You may conduct these sessions with everyone involved in the room, or your mediator might ask to conduct a few sessions separately.
Divorce and legal separations are among the most common situations sorted out through mediation. Instead of a drawn-out, costly and stressful courtroom divorce, your mediator is likely to be able to help you and your spouse reach an agreement without attorneys. This is especially beneficial if you have children. Since mediation is known to reduce stress and conflict, any extent of conflict that your children are exposed to can be kept at a minimum.
Mediation is also utilized often for people who have parenting arrangement issues, child support matters or other conflicts that arise after a divorce is final. Post-divorce mediation can quickly resolve disputes before they become major life-altering events.
Many families turn to mediators for estate planning purposes and elder care issues. If there is a question about a will or inheritance, a mediator can help resolve the matter peacefully and fairly before it becomes a family crises. This is also true if an elderly loved one needs medical and financial care, and relatives need help ensuring the best interests of their loved one are met. Finally, those who run a family business together do not always get along. A mediator can help them fix the problems that arise during a family business dispute so relationships are not harmed, and the business can continue to operate and thrive.
If you are considering a divorce, wondering if you were represented fairly in the family’s estate planning or experiencing any other type of serious family concern, you might want to consider speaking with an experienced mediator. Mediation sessions can help you get through these disputes in relationship-enhancing ways while keeping your family intact.
