Davis Mediation Lawyers Representing Northern California
- Pakpour Banks LLP is based in Davis, CA, and is proudly serving Davis, Woodland, Sacramento, West Sacramento, Vacaville, Dixon, Fairfield, Roseville, Elk Grove, and surrounding areas.
- Our team has been successfully representing cases in Yolo County, Sacramento County, Solano County, Placer County, Colusa County, El Dorado County, and Yuba County.
Divorce mediation is about you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse deciding your own divorce terms and what is best for the both of you and, most importantly, your children.
Pakpour Banks LLP lawyers are professionally trained mediators who will work with you and your spouse through the issues you need to resolve so the two of you can end your marriage as amicably and cost-effectively as possible.
This includes dividing your assets, establishing child custody and visitation orders, setting support, and planning for retirement and tax consequences.
As California mediation attorneys, Pakpour Banks LLP practices what is known in the industry as “facilitative mediation.” This means that it is the attorney’s job to help you and your spouse reach your own solutions, and achieve your own dreams, rather than drawing the picture for you, and guiding you towards an outcome you may or may not really desire.
When you’re ready to start your divorce mediation, contact the Davis mediation attorneys at Pakpour Banks LLP. We’ll listen to your issues and start facilitating solutions for you and your family to work through your divorce.
ADVANTAGES OF DIVORCE MEDIATION OVER LITIGATION
Many individuals choose mediation because they perceive it to be simpler and less costly than litigation. On the latter, they are absolutely correct. In the end, mediation is almost always the cost-effective choice over litigation. As for simplicity, mediation is typically less stressful, but it still requires a great deal of work.
Keep in mind: the point is to come to an agreement with someone who you obviously find it hard to agree with anymore. That can be a challenge. It’s my job to help you overcome it, and we will. That means keeping the lines of communication open, brainstorming ideas, testing you, teaching empathy, and assisting you in your decision-making process. This also means keeping you focused on the issues at hand, and staying on track.
Litigation is a rigid process with long-established rules that cannot be changed.
Mediation is flexible and confidential. It gives you and your spouse a way to settle the conflict between you in a way that helps you to work together as parents, even if your children are now adults.
A divorce mediator is neutral and doesn’t “work” for either parent. That means the mediator can not give advice to either party. I must remain neutral, no matter the situation.
DIVORCE MEDIATION IS A COOPERATIVE PROCESS
What the mediator can do, though, is assist the divorcing couple in formulating ideas that can eventually lead to agreements that will stand the test of time. That open and free exchange of information frees up both spouses to negotiate with each other in confidence. Because both spouses are working with the same base of information, it usually takes far less time to negotiate a resolution that makes sense to both spouses.
Mediation is voluntary. It continues only for so long as you, your spouse, and the mediator – want it to. Mediation sessions can be conducted weekly, every two weeks, monthly, or however often the couple wants them to be.
It is not unusual to be participating in mediation and marriage counseling at the same time.
How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation
Taking the time and energy to prepare for the mediation process can help you reach a fair outcome. Be prepared to discuss fundamental issues like property division, financial support, and child custody. First, consider if you need to hire a lawyer to represent you during negotiations. Your divorce mediation legal practitioner is a neutral third party and cannot advise you. If your spouse hotly contests many issues, you may benefit from having counsel present to help defend your rights.
Next, consider your goals, expectations, and budget. Which issues can you compromise on and which are most important to you? Expectations to consider are how long you want the mediation to take and how the mediator might establish fair play. Budget considerations include how much you want to pay and if you need to consider low-cost options. Also, consider if your spouse will be paying for part or all of the bill.
What to Be Ready to Discuss in Mediation
Based on their initial interviews, your mediator will likely develop a list of topics to address during the mediation process. Although every mediation is different, you’ll want to be prepared to discuss:
- Marital property division and debt allocation,
- Retirement account division,
- Spousal support,
- Child custody,
- Child support,
- Insurance coverage,
- Future communication, and
- Anything else that might be a source of disagreement now or in the future.
If you have questions about what might be a good solution in any of these areas, you should ask your mediator in advance. Experienced mediators will offer you tips that are unique to their practice or your specific circumstances. Once you reach an agreement, your mediator will help prepare a written settlement agreement. In most cases, a judge will approve a mediated agreement and incorporate it in the final decree of divorce.
How Long Does Divorce Mediation Take?
Mediation may be completed in a few hours, or you may require several sessions to reach agreements on all issues relating to your divorce. However, you will still need to complete several steps to finalize your divorce through court.
As California mediation lawyer, most of the cases we see through mediation take three to four months on average to complete from start to finish. However, every family’s circumstances are different, and your case may take a longer or shorter time than the average. The good thing about mediation is that you are in charge of the schedule. If you need more time to work out a solution, you can request additional sessions for your mediation. You can also request a break in mediation sessions to consider your options. No matter the issues, a California mediation attorney at Pakpour Banks LLP has seen it all. We can help you work out a divorce plan that works best for you and your family on your timeline and budget.
Our experienced attorneys also handle other types of family legal issues, including: