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Coping With Legal Issues

When I started getting into trouble I became pretty acclimated to legal procedures. Calling my attorney and working out bail was just another way to spend a Saturday night. Unfortunately, the stiffer the charges, the more difficult it was to talk my way out of a bad situation. After so many charges, I found myself slapped with a long jail sentence, and I realized that I wanted to turn things around. Fortunately, my lawyer was able to walk me through yet another process, so that I could make the right changes. My blog discusses how to emotionally cope with legal issues so that you can start living a good life.

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Coping With Legal Issues

3 Things To Know Before Using Mediation For Your Divorce

by Lillian Wheeler

If you and your spouse are calling it quits and are ready to file for a divorce, you may want to know what your options are. There are traditional divorces that require two attorneys, but there is another option called mediation. Mediation involves the help of a neutral third party, who is hired to help you make all the necessary decisions pertaining to the divorce. Before using this method, here are three things you should know about mediation.

You Can Still Have a Lawyer

One of the reasons people choose mediation for divorces is because it is less costly, but the downside is that neither party has legal representation. A mediator is hired by the couple and is there to help the couple work through all the issues relating to the divorce. What you may not know, though, is that you can still hire a lawyer to represent you.

If you want to make sure that you get a fair settlement, or if you are unsure of what your rights are, it might be wise for you to hire a lawyer even if you use mediation. By doing this, your divorce will not be as affordable as it would be if you strictly used a mediator only for handling the case.

Having a lawyer might be wise for you if you have questions. Keep in mind that you can hire a lawyer simply to answer your questions, and you do not necessarily need to keep the lawyer with you through the entire case. You could simply find out the answers to the questions you have and handle the rest without an attorney.

Mediators Do Not Give Legal Advice

The second thing to fully understand is that a mediator cannot give you legal advice, which is another reason you may decide to hire a lawyer even if using mediation.

The job of the mediator is not to tell you and your spouse what to do. His or her job is actually just to control the meetings by helping you and your spouse make the decisions together. Mediation typically begins with phone call interviews to both spouses. During these calls, the mediator will ask questions to determine what issues will need to be worked out. From there, the mediator will create a schedule that will be used to make decisions. This schedule may include meetings to discuss:

  • Who will get the house
  • Division of assets
  • Child custody and support
  • Other issues relating to the kids
  • Division of business assets
  • How debts will be divided

It may take two or more meetings to settle all the matters of your divorce, but this will depend on how many decisions must be made and on how agreeable you can be together.

You Must Have The Right Attitude

The final thing that is important to know is that you and your spouse must both have the right type of attitude in order to use mediation for your divorce. You cannot fight with each other, and both spouses should be open and willing to come up with a plan that is beneficial for both parties.

One of the reasons many couples do not use this method is because they cannot have the right attitude during the meetings. They may be angry at each other, and they might not be willing to compromise. Mediation will not work well in cases like this.

If you would like to learn more about divorce options or mediation, contact a company that understands divorce laws in Canada. You can schedule an appointment to discuss your case, and this may help you decide which route to take.

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