London Family Solicitors
Mediation is where you and the other party in your dispute agree to work with a neutral third party (the mediator), in an attempt to try and reach some sort of resolution. On occasions, you may have more than one mediator, which would usually be when they have skills that complement each other or are relevant to the specialist issue being dealt with. They will both still act as one neutral party, as opposed to each taking one side of the argument.
The Advantages of Mediation
Mediation might be an appropriate form of Alternative Dispute Resolution if you are keen to avoid going to court. However, if you are already at the court hearing stage, mediation might be used as a way to reduce the among of time spent in court, and reach a settlement before the court gives its decision.
Mediation is usually an appropriate way to resolve Family Law issues if both parties are able to communicate in a civil and relatively open way, and they both have a genuine commitment to resolving whatever problem they are dealing with. It can also be a more amicable way of resolving sensitive issues, which could be important if the parties are going to need to maintain some kind of relationship after the settlement. For example, if they are parents of the same children, it’s likely they’ll be dealing with each other on a regular basis for the rest of their lives.
When mediation may not work
In situations where one or both of the parties involved aren’t committed to finding a solution, it’s very unlikely that the mediation process will be able to help them. Another instance where mediation may not be the best option is when one partner or their property might be at risk from the other party during the mediation process. In these cases, and situations where an aspect of the law needs clarification, involving the courts may be a better approach.
If you feel your Family Law issue may be resolved with the help of a mediator, trained solicitors in our London Family Solicitors office will be able to advise you on the best way to start the mediation process.