Many couples in the greater Tampa area may have heard about a legal process called mediation.
Many Floridians have used mediation to settle a family law matter. Some courts in the area may even require a couple to try mediation before going forward with a divorce.
To review, in a mediation, the couple will meet with a qualified mediator, who should have knowledge and experience with respect to divorce-related matters.
The mediator will work with the couple to negotiate a solution to any outstanding issues they need to resolve before finalizing a divorce. The process is confidential, and either party may elect at any time to stop the mediation and go forward with a court case.
Mediation has many advantages. If the couple can resolve their dispute, they save considerable time, money and energy it would otherwise take to continue a contested court case.
Furthermore, the couple also eliminates any uncertainty about how a judge will decide a case. In a sense, a couple that mediates controls the outcome of the divorce.
Especially for Florida couples with children, a successful mediation can also set a positive tone going forward as they try to co-parent peacefully for the sake of their children.
Mediation can be a valuable tool to keeping sensitive details private
The information that comes out in a divorce is often very sensitive and potentially embarrassing. A couple will have to take a deep dive into their marital finances, and unflattering details about both parties parenting skills may come out.
Like most other court proceedings, Florida divorces are what are called public records. Subject to narrow exceptions, a person may review the court’s records of a divorce simply by following the Clerk’s procedures.
Mediation might not keep all details of a divorce out of the public eye, but as a confidential process, it can drastically reduce the volume of sensitive details that could otherwise be disclosed to anyone.
Admittedly, mediation might not work in every case. A New Port Richey resident should consider this option with the help of an experienced family law attorney.