For couples who are not married and share children, decisions about custody after a break-up can be incredibly difficult and complicated. Custody mediation is a highly effective way to resolve these issues without a costly court battle. AMS Mediation specializes in custody mediation and can help you and your ex come up with a plan for custody that puts your kids first and allows you all to move forward in a healthy way.
Benefits Of Custody Mediation In Minnesota
There are many benefits to pursuing custody mediation to decide how to divide the time that your children spend with you and your ex. It is significantly less expensive and generally produces less conflict than litigation and gives you the flexibility to come up with a plan that is creative and meets your unique needs. Your children watch your every move and will see clearly that you and your ex-partner are able to resolve conflict and move forward. This sets a positive tone for co-parenting in the future. Custody mediation is entirely confidential and helps you and your family focus on the future rather than the pain and difficulty of the past.
Child Custody Mediation Process
When attempting to resolve your custody issues with the help of a mediator, you do not have to worry about leaving these incredibly important decisions in the hands of a judge. Court imposed decisions are generally much more difficult for all family members to adjust to than a decision that has been thought through and arrived upon by the parents themselves. In fact, mediation is so effective and successful that the Minnesota court system actually requires that you make a good faith effort to resolve your case with mediation before moving ahead with litigation. Your mediator will serve as a neutral third party, creating a safe, open and honest forum for discussion and guiding your discussion without stating any opinions. Your mediator does not make any decisions regarding your case, but helps you stay focused on the goals and priorities that you have set. You can choose to complete mediation with or without an attorney, depending on your preference.
The three areas of focus for most custody mediation cases include legal and physical custody designations, parenting time (when the children are with each parent), and child support payments. For more information or to schedule a time for a free one-hour consultation, call us at 952-252-1492.
