Every person is unique, so no two marriages can be the same. That explains why some couples will have a very contentious divorce while others will be relatively amicable. When two people wish to end their marriage but would like to avoid conflict, mediation can be an excellent option. It costs less, takes less time, and involves less conflict than a divorce played out in a courtroom. Suppose you believe you and your spouse could reach a divorce settlement without entering the court. In that case, a knowledgeable DuPage County, IL, divorce lawyer can help you understand whether mediation could suit your needs.
How Does Mediation Work?
After an initial meeting with all involved parties, the two spouses sit in different rooms during a mediation process. The mediator’s primary role is facilitating communication and negotiation between the spouses, going back and forth between their separate rooms. The mediator will share their questions, offers, and responses with each other. They listen to both sides’ concerns, identify core issues and points of conflict, and offer compromises that both could find agreeable. After several rounds of relaying information to the spouses, mediation should ultimately end what a comprehensive divorce settlement has been formulated. The couple then needs to file an Illinois divorce petition with the court, and the process is essentially complete.