How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation

If you and your spouse agreed to divorce mediation, it’s important to arrive to your first session ready to go. There are a variety of topics you should be prepared to discuss, as well as certain items you should bring to your initial session to make it go as smoothly as possible.

Here’s a quick overview of some tips to help you get ready for your first mediation session.

• Plan your trip: Make sure you know exactly where you’re going and that you give yourself plenty of time to get there so you can arrive early. Include extra time for parking and for finding your specific meeting room.
• Know what to bring: There are a variety of documents you should prepare, including various court documents, lists of assets and liabilities, and financial statements. Your attorney or the mediator should be able to provide you with a full list of everything you need to gather and organize.
• Know your priorities: Consider all of the issues of your divorce, and which ones are most important to you. Knowing your priorities will make it easier for you to negotiate the issues and help you determine where you may be willing to compromise and where you’ll want to hold tight to your convictions.
• Gather and analyze information: Be prepared to discuss the issues of your divorce. Analyze the available information as much as possible, including any disclosures made by your spouse during the discovery process. The more you’re familiar with the issues, the more effective of a negotiator you will be. These issues include asset and debt allocation, spousal support, child support, child custody and future coparenting and communication issues.
• Speak to an attorney before you start mediation: Even though you may mediate with your spouse, it is imperative that you are aware of your rights before beginning the process. This will assist you in negotiating a settlement that is fair.  It is a good idea that prior to signing any mediated agreement, that you have an attorney review the agreement for you.  The mediator is not acting as either lawyer and you need someone that will advocate and protect your interests.

For more information about how you can prepare yourself for divorce mediation, contact a reliable divorce lawyer at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia LLP.