When a couple gets divorced, they may need support in resolving various issues, such as property division, alimony, and child custody. Mediation in divorce can often help couples reach a fair and amicable resolution to outstanding issues. But how much does mediation cost, and how does it compare to other means of resolving issues in a divorce?
The Divorce Mediation Process in Pennsylvania
Divorce mediation can help couples who struggle to negotiate a settlement on various outstanding issues in their divorce. In mediation, a neutral third party, known as a mediator, helps facilitate settlement negotiations between spouses by assisting each spouse in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their case and their spouse’s position, and suggesting solutions that can help the couple settle their issues.
Cost of Mediation in Pennsylvania
The primary cost of mediation comes from the mediator’s fees. Other expenses may include renting a neutral space to conduct the mediation if the mediator does not have one. Mediators typically charge an hourly rate of several hundred dollars, with each mediator’s rate based on their experience, professional reputation, and the geographic area they serve. Other factors that can affect the cost of mediation in a Pennsylvania divorce include:
- The complexity of the couple’s assets
- The number of mediation sessions required to achieve a complete settlement
- Whether spouses choose to attend mediation with legal counsel
Mediation vs. Other Divorce Methods
Other methods of resolving outstanding issues in a divorce can have higher costs compared to mediation. For example, a contested divorce will require litigation and a trial. In most cases, spouses will hire legal counsel at hourly rates, and those attorneys may spend dozens or hundreds of hours litigating a divorce case and preparing for trial, depending on the complexity of the case. Alternatively, couples may opt for a collaborative divorce, which often requires specialized attorneys with experience in collaborative family law. Couples may also need to hire other expert professionals to help them resolve outstanding issues in their divorce, such as accountants, financial planners, and parenting coordinators.
A couple who can negotiate and settle all the issues in their divorce without needing mediation may pursue an uncontested divorce, which can significantly reduce legal fees as each spouse’s attorney only needs to incorporate the parties’ agreement into a proposed final divorce decree.
Benefits of Choosing Mediation
Some of the significant benefits of mediation that make it a popular avenue to resolve outstanding issues in a divorce include:
- Can achieve a quicker resolution to outstanding issues than divorce litigation
- Creates a less adversarial and more cooperative environment, which can help repair or maintain a divorcing couple’s relationship for future matters, such as co-parenting
- Allows a couple to keep the details of their divorce private
- Enables flexibility in the divorce process, including allowing spouses to schedule mediation sessions according to their needs and goals or fashioning a resolution that both spouses can live with
- Reduces long-term emotional or financial strain by avoiding the contested nature of litigation
Should You Agree to Mediation?
Mediation in divorce cases works best when both spouses demonstrate a willingness to negotiate and compromise over complex and significant issues like property division or child custody. However, mediation may not work in cases involving domestic violence, hidden assets or income, emotional abuse, or an extreme power imbalance in a couple’s relationship. If you agree to mediation in your divorce, having legal representation may add to the cost of resolving your divorce issues, but it can protect your financial and legal interests.
Contact a Divorce Attorney Today
Mediation can offer an efficient and cost-effective means of resolving the various matters in your divorce case. Contact Standish & Conlin today for a confidential consultation with a divorce lawyer to discuss whether pursuing mediation can help you achieve a favorable resolution to your divorce case.