Danbury Mediation Lawyers Assist With Amicable Divorce

Connecticut firm helps overcome obstacles to settlement

Even when spouses agree that dissolution of their marriage is the right course, they can be deadlocked on key issues. In such cases, divorce mediation can guide them to constructive dialogue and ultimate agreement. At Collins Hannafin, P.C. in Danbury, Connecticut, Attorney Eva M. DeFranco, is a certified, trained mediator who has brought hundreds of cases to a successful outcome. She is ready to help you and your spouse reach a mutually beneficial divorce settlement.

What is divorce mediation?

Divorce mediation is a constructive dialogue between spouses, overseen by an impartial third party who facilitates discussion and negotiation. A mediator’s role is keeping the parties focused on important issues, helping the parties weigh advantages and disadvantages of each proposed solution, and identifying possible settlement terms. In Connecticut, a divorce mediator does not have to be an attorney, but an attorney mediator provides an extra level of knowledge and experience. 

Understanding the mediation process

Divorce mediation involves a series of individual meetings with the parties and the mediator. They discuss financial matters pertaining to bank assets, retirement funds, investments and debt, as well as issues related to children, health insurance and other concerns. The mediator explains the available options for resolving these issues as part of a divorce settlement. Afterward, the spouses meet face to face in order to openly discuss the solutions the mediator presents. 

Mediation puts the spouses in charge of their own fate. Rather than having a judge impose divorce settlement terms that neither spouse finds satisfactory, mediation allows them to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. As an experienced divorce mediator, Attorney DeFranco understands how to keep the spouses focused on what is most important while avoiding emotional upsets that can potentially derail negotiations.

Why choose mediation?

If you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse or partner are on relatively good terms, mediation can be an effective, cost-effective way of settling your divorce. The advantages of divorce mediation include:

• Reduced costs — You avoid litigation, which drives up legal fees and costs significantly.
• Flexible timing — You meet according to your own schedule and are not constrained by the court’s calendar.
• Quicker resolution — Because mediation is cooperative rather than confrontational, the process moves faster than litigation.
• Greater control over the financial outcome — You and your spouse can determine how to divide your marital assets and marital debts.
• Greater flexibility — You can be creative in working out child custody and parenting time schedules.
• Fosters cooperation — Mediation keeps couples on track and forward thinking. It encourages effective communication, which can carry over to your post-divorce life. The process can lay a solid foundation for co-parenting post-divorce.
• Preserves privacy — Mediation is completely confidential. There is no public record of your discussions, as would be created in a court hearing. 

However, mediation is not for everyone. Spouses must approach the process in good faith and work earnestly toward a fair outcome. They must have a baseline amount of respect for each other. Parties whose relationships have been marked by a history of domestic violence, intimidation or emotional manipulation are not likely to succeed in mediation.

Mediation for civil unions and same-sex marriages

For gay and lesbian couples, the dissolution of a civil union or same-sex marriage may raise a number of legal issues that require unique solutions. Mediation presents an alternative to traditional divorce litigation that may, in some cases, be better suited to resolving specific issues arising from civil unions and same-sex marriage. Our lawyers can effectively guide same-sex partners through the mediation process and fully explain their options for resolving unique and complex issues.

Contact our Danbury firm today to discuss divorce mediation

The family law attorneys at Collins Hannafin, P.C. provide complete divorce service, including mediation. Our attorney practicing in the area of divorce mediation is Eva M. DeFranco. To schedule an appointment, call 203-885-1938 or contact our firm online today.