Divorce, even under the best of circumstances, is stressful. Divorce is particularly stressful when the couple cannot agree on sticky issues like property division, child custody and parenting time and child and spousal support. Add to these the legal cost associated with the court process and you are most likely to feel overwhelmed.
Divorce mediation is an alternative approach to dissolving your marriage away from the pressure of the courtroom. Done right, divorce mediation can save you money, time and emotional toil. Here are two tips that can help you achieve the best possible outcome for your divorce mediation:
Prepare yourself
Proper preparation will help you have smooth and fruitful mediation sessions. Before showing up for mediation, be sure to put together important documents pertaining to the marital property. Prepping yourself also involves acquainting yourself with Tennessee divorce laws. These include understanding what Tennessee law says about marital property and child custody issues. Do keep in mind that the court will have to review and decide whether to approve your mediated settlements or not. You do not want to reach a settlement that the court will declare faulty and dismiss.
Have clear priorities
It is important to be clear on what you are willing to be flexible on and what you are not. For instance, you can be open to the idea of giving up the family home. However, you cannot put the child’s best interests up for negotiation. It will be helpful if both parties can come up with a list of priorities before walking into the mediation room.
Safeguarding your interests
Divorce mediation can help you talk over your differences and reach a divorce settlement that works for everyone involved. However, the key to a successful divorce mediation lies in understanding your legal rights and obligations before, during and after the divorce process.
