Divorce Mediation

When you have decided to divorce, you have the option of going straight to mediation without attorneys and before filing a court case. It’s an opportunity to resolve all the issues in your divorce privately and confidentially rather than going through a lengthy and public court proceeding.

It is very simply a meeting or series of meetings with a mediator, who will help you reach an Agreement. The mediator is completely impartial and does not take anyone’s side. At RDS, your mediator is also an experienced attorney who has been specially trained to help you navigate your family’s legal issues in a non-adversarial way, eliminating the non-productive “win-lose” atmosphere of traditional attorney-driven divorce.

Often parties will meet with the mediator separately. The discussions in these private meetings are confidential unless that party gives the mediator permission to share any part of the discussion with the other party. This is to encourage open disclosure and the possibility of exploring more options that otherwise might not have been considered. It also helps the mediator work with people in high conflict situations.

​If you reach an agreement, the mediator will put it into writing for both parties to sign. This document is your Marital Settlement Agreement and will become the basis for your Uncontested Divorce. Because it will be drafted by an attorney-mediator, this ensures it will be properly drafted and enforceable under Florida law.

​There is no pressure to reach an agreement if you’re not ready. However, it’s important to stay committed to the process because the results are statistically much better than court. For example, research has shown that compliance with court-ordered child support is only 50% at the one year mark, while mediated child support is is still being complied with 85% of the time.

One of the reasons this happens is that you are making the decisions, not a stranger. You also have greater flexibility than a judge to make an agreement that works best for you.

At RDS, we also offer online mediations to accommodate spouses that live or work in distant locations or are unavailable to meet in person meeting for another reason.

Once you reach an agreement, we can also prepare your legal documents for filing an Uncontested Divorce.

Privacy

It’s private and confidential. You’re not waiving any of your legal rights by trying this process first.

Counseling

Mediation is NOT therapy or counseling. It’s a proven process for resolving your legal issues through private meetings with a trained facilitator outside of the court system.

Fairness

We don’t serve as advocates for one side or another – our mission is to make your divorce as uncomplicated and as affordable as possible.