Divorce is undeniably stressful and has the reputation for bringing out the worst in people. Conflict and emotions are high and many difficult decisions must be made under duress in order to separate the two intertwined lives. You must decide how to divide your property, assets (and debts), settle on a parenting plan for how the kids will spend their time and come to an agreement on any child and/or spousal support. Many assume that hiring a lawyer and letting the court help you settle your divorce is the best (or only) way to navigate a divorce. Another option that has become more popular over the last decade is to use divorce mediation instead of the courts to settle a divorce. Mediation focuses on finding areas of compromise and common ground rather than exacerbating conflict. AMS Mediation offers high quality divorce mediation services for couples in the Burnsville area who are considering their options for settling their divorce.
Divorce Settlement: Court or Mediation?
When you are weighing your options for settling your divorce, it is helpful to be informed about both. There are generally two choices for settling a divorce: proceeding through the court under the representation of an attorney or divorce mediation. Currently, in Minnesota, the State requires divorcing couples (without a history of domestic violence) to participate in an ADR process, such as mediation, prior to appearing in court. Divorce Mediation costs approximately $4000, including several sessions, filing fees and legal drafted if needed. This is only a fraction of the cost of a court battle, which costs on average $15,000.
You can also expect your divorce settlement to take significantly less time than a court battle. You will likely need 6-8 hours of mediation (usually one session is 2 hours) over the course of a 6-8 week period of time. A court case depends on the schedule of attorneys, the court and a judge, so that can take considerably longer. Mediation can work for couples with complex issues to sort out and even for couples with high conflict. A professionally trained meditator can help the couple find common ground and stay focused on the pertinent topics in a respectful manner.
Professional Burnsville Divorce Mediator
AMS Mediation is led by Amber Serwat, a mediator with both professional experience with divorce mediation and personal experience with settling her own divorce. She understands the difficulty and pain that is associated with divorce and will work to help you find solutions that work for all parties and helps your family move forward in a positive way. For more information about using divorce mediation as an option for your divorce settlement, call Amber directly at 952.252.1492.
