What We DoLegal Separation Mediation
With our systematized yet personalized legal separation mediation services, you will be able to remain legally married but divide your property and debts, resolve any support issues, and create a practical parenting plan for any minor children – fairly, inexpensively, and caringly.
With our systematized yet personalized legal separation mediation services, you will be able to remain legally married but divide your property and debts, resolve any support issues, and create a practical parenting plan for any minor children – fairly, inexpensively, and caringly.
How it works
Why Choose Us
See how our divorce mediation process infused with law and psychology saves you time, money, and stress.
Cost & Time Effective
Mediation will cost a small fraction of using lawyers. And everything will be finalized in much less time than the eight to fifteen months typical when using lawyers in the court-based system.
Private & Personalized
We incorporate everything you decided during mediation in a personalized and legally-binding settlement agreement and all required court documents.
You Keep Control
You won’t surrender control to lawyers and a judge. You will never have to go to court.
How Does Legal Separation Differ From Divorce?
Legal separation ends community property rights and obligations but preserves the marital relationship. For example, when legally separated, each spouse’s income is his or her sole and separate property, and one spouse can no longer obligate the other for any debt he or she incurs. Divorce, on the other hand, (whether in Arizona or in any other state) ends the marital relationship as well as community property rights and obligations.
Mediation of legal separation occurs in the same way and typically involves the same issues as divorce mediation. Couples work together with a professional mediator to reach agreements concerning division of assets (such as real estate, investment accounts, and retirement benefits), allocation of debts, child and/or spousal support, and parenting arrangements for minor children.
Benefits Of
Legal Separation Mediation
What are my options and how do they compare?
Benefits | Mediated Divorce | Attorney Divorce |
|---|---|---|
| You maintain control | Yes | No |
| You make the final decisions | Yes | Sometimes |
| It‘s totally private and confidential | Yes | No |
| It‘s cost efficient (saves you money) | Yes | No |
| It‘s time efficient (can be done quickly) | Yes | No |
| The process guarantees safe and respecful communications and negotiations | Yes | No |
| It reduces your fear, stress & hostility | Yes | No |
| It helps you create long-lasting, practical agreements | Yes | Sometimes |
| It addresses the emotional psychological aspects of disputes. | Yes | No |
| It equalizes power and information imbalances | Yes | No |
| It has the highest post-agreement compliance rate (both parties honor their decisions) | Yes | No |
What Does the Mediator Do?
Mediators have different backgrounds and experience. Our mediator at Out-of-Court Solutions is experienced in law, psychology, and business, and makes sure that legally separating couples fully understand all of the legal, financial, parenting, and other issues involved in their situation. Our mediator also help couples effectively communicate and negotiate, explore alternative ways of resolving disagreements, and deal with the anger, sadness and other emotions common to separation and divorce. After the couple has decided everything, our mediator prepares a comprehensive and legally binding settlement agreement.
Customers FAQs
Legal Separation
Frequencely Asked Questions
Q: How Does Mediation Differ From Court-Based Legal Separation?
In mediation, separating couples do not surrender control to attorneys or a judge. Our mediator provide the legal, financial, parenting, and other information needed to make fully informed decisions – and the separating couple decides what is best for them based on their particular relationship, needs, and standards. Mediation takes place in a safe, collaborative environment, and is significantly less stressful than adversarial, win-lose, court-based proceedings.
Q: How Much Does Mediation Cost?
Legally separating couples typically spend less than $3200 for everything from start to finish. This is very inexpensive compared to using two separate lawyers, who require retainers of no less than $3500 to $5000 from each spouse (or together $7000 to $10,000) just to get started — and according to The Wall Street Journal usually winds up costing couples $27,000 or more.
Q: How does Mediation Benefit Children?
With their education and experience in counseling psychology, as well as law, our mediator is dedicated to helping parents focus on the best interests of their children. Mediation through Out-of-Court Solutions reduces parental anger, increases parental communication, and produces durable parenting arrangements.
Q: Are There Times When It’s Not Appropriate to Mediate?
When one spouse is in physical danger, or is unwilling to participate in good faith, mediation would be inappropriate.
Q: What if We Already Agree on Lots of Issues?
These agreements often serve as a foundation for resolution of other issues and overall agreement, expediting the mediation, further reducing the cost.
Q: How Long Does The Court Take to Finalize the Legal Separation Documents?
We can get your Legal Separation paperwork through the court within 90 days!
Step 1: Begins when we prepare your first set of legal documents, and ends when these documents are filed with the court and returned to our office – all usually within 5 days or less.
Because Arizona is a “no-fault” divorce state, there is absolutely no legal significance as to which spouse is the “Petitioner” (the one who initiates the divorce or legal separation) versus the “Respondent” (the one who responds to the Petition).
Step 2: Arizona’s 60-day mandatory waiting period begins when the Respondent signs an Acceptance of Service form, and ends 60 days thereafter.
Because of Arizona’s 60-day mandatory waiting period, many of our clients begin the court process near the beginning of mediation.
Step 3: Begins when we prepare and file your second and final set of legal documents with the court and ends when a Judge signs a Consent Decree for legal separation by agreement – all usually within 20 days.
Because we prepare an all-inclusive settlement agreement (request a divorce settlement agreement sample), we guarantee that the Judge will approve your legal separation!
Q: What are the Chances for Success?
We are very proud of our success rate: over 95% of the couples who mediate with Out-of-Court Solutions reach full agreement; the few that do not are protected because under Arizona law anything said or prepared for mediation is strictly confidential and barred from use in court.
Q: How do I Get Other Questions Answered?
Arrange for a Free Consultation by calling (480) 315-8882 | (520) 829-5077
Contact us by email at admin@outofcourtsolutions.com or schedule your free consultation online.
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Testimonials
Clients' love to
work with us
The professionalism, organization, ability to completely explain and make aware of all the options possible were kindly delivered by Oliver. I would not look anywhere else for a better mediator
Judy Barreto
Former Client
Oliver and his staff made this difficult time in our lives so much easier. The approach to divorce was handled with concern for our emotional, as well as financial, well-being. We both came out feeling as though we were treated fairly and given sound advice for going forward.
Tracy R
Former Client
My experience using Out-of-Court-Solutions was extremely positive and I highly recommend their services to anyone facing as difficult a situation as a divorce or separation.
Jenna Marie
Former Client
Out-of-Court Solutions guided us through the difficult process of divorce. Valuable information was provided that enabled us to formulate intelligent decisions.
Sherry Wright
Former Client
Out-of-Court Solutions guided us through the difficult process of divorce. Valuable information was provided that enabled us to formulate intelligent decisions. Both our mediator and his support staff were very supportive when emotions surfaced and due to their calm and professional approach made a tough situation easier to navigate.
Sherry Almond
Former Client
I could not have hoped for a better experience in reaching a settlement. I’m forever grateful for Oliver’s help. He’s the best!
David Rogers
Former Client
Out-of-Court Solutions provided me the information I needed to make all the necessary, and sometimes difficult, decisions during my divorce. They walked me through every aspect of the divorce process and promptly answered all my phone and email inquiries. Their compassion, guidance and knowledge combined with their affordability is why I give them a 5 star recommendation. Thank you Amanda, Cassie and Tamara!
Joanne Gutierrez
Former Client
The team at Out of Court Solutions made a very uncertain and stressful process super easy. The team was responsive, timely, and thorough. I was pleasantly surprised with streamlined the guidance and process was.
Rachael Ohton
Former Client
Out of Court Solutions is everything that it’s name implies-plus a lot more! They bring simple, but thorough processes to what is always a hard and emotional set of decisions. TRUE professionals ! Out of Court Solutions simplifies the divorce process and does it cost effectively.
Allen Lorenzi
Former Client
I’m Barry Brooks and I confess I have not worked with Oliver Ross and his team at Out of Court Solutions. But the reason I’m writing is I have had several of my friends do so and have had terrific resolutions for all parties involved. No hostility often typically found with divorce attorneys. And they feel that they saved themselves a lot of aggravation, time as well as money. Very highly recommended!
Barry Brooks
Former Client